U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



S F 

96% 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY— BULLETIN NO. 45. 

D. E. SALMON, D, V. M., Chief of Bureau. 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 

A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON ITS NATURE, 
CAUSE, AND PREVENTION. 



JOHN R. MOHLER, V. M. D., A. M., 

CHfRF OF PATKOlAXilCAL I^JVISION, I'.f^kKAl' OF .\NIMAL INDUSTRY, 



HENRY J. WASHBURN, D. V. S., 

ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PATHOI..OGICAL DIVISION, 
BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 




WASHINGTON: 

GC»VERNMENT PRINTING OFFK^E. 
1903. 



CViiR|rti^ 




Class. 
Book. 



6Fi^u^ 



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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY— BUl.LHTIN NO. 45. 

D. E. SALMON, D. V. M., Chief of Bureau. 



CL - r^3 



t^fY 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS 



'"S. 



A PRELIMINARY RLPORT ON ITS NATURE, 
CAUSE, AND PREVENTION. 



JOHN R. MOHLER, V. M. D., A. M., 

A- 

CHIEF OV I'ATHOLOCrlCAL IJIVISION, BUREAU OF ANI3IAL IKDUSTRY, 



HENRY J. WASHBURN, I). V. vS., 

ACTING ASSISTANT CHIEF OF PATHOLOGICAL DIVISION, 
BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE- 
1903. 






OCT 



D.xy 



-1 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Bureau of Animal Industry, 
W((s/u'/i(/to>i, D. a, March ^, 1903. 

Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith a manuscript on "Takosis, 
a contagious disease of goats: A preliminar}^ report on its nature, 
cause, and prevention."' b}- Dr. John R. Mohler and Dr. Henr}'^ J. 
Washburn, chief and acting assistant chief, respectively, of the Patho- 
logical Division of this Bureau. 

During the fall and winter of the past year reports of a chronic, 
highl}' fatal disease, which seemed to threaten the Angora goat industr}^ 
in certain districts, reached the Bureau from several different States; 
and as the symptoms and postmortem lesions were entirely unlike 
any of those accompanying the known diseases which affect this spe- 
cies of animals, it was decided to investigate thoroughly the nature of 
the disease in question and, if possible, to determine the cause of the 
affection. Laboratory w^orksoon resulted in bringing to light a micro- 
coccus {Mlcrocuccus cajji'lnu^) in the blood of the heart, lungs, and 
spleen, which experiments proved to be the cause of the disease. 
Filtrates were made and a series of experiments undertaken with the 
purpose in view of securing a preventive, and possibly a cure, of the 
disease. The paper submitted herew ith shows that these efforts met 
with some success. The work so far done is full}' described in this 
paper, and suggestions for preventing the disease are offered. It is 
believed that all this will be useful to the industry which has so recently 
received such Avidespread attention, and I therefore recommend the 
publication of this manuscript as Bulletin No. 45 of this Bureau. 
RespectfuU}', 

D. E. Salmon, Chief of Bureau. 

Hon. James Wilson, Seci'etary. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Preliminary remarks 7 

Name of disease 8 

Takosis 8 

History of outbreak 8 

Symptoms - - 9 

Course and susceptibility 10 

Pathological anatomy 11 

Bacteriologj' 13 

Morphology 14 

Biology 15 

Cultural characteristics 15 

Pathogenesis 18 

Experiments with mice 18 

Experiments with rats 19 

Experiments with guinea pigs 19 

Experiments with rabbits 20 

Experiments with chickens 22 

Experiments with dogs 22 

Experiments with sheep 22 

Experiments with goats 23 

Production of toxins 25 

Microscopic lesions 28 

Blood examination 30 

Technique 32 

Description of previous epizootics of allied character among goats 32 

Economic importance 36 

Differential diagnosis 39 

Parasitism 39 

Anemia 40 

Watery cachexia, or hydremia 40 

Contagious pneumonia 40 

Treatment 41 

Prophylaxis 41 

Therapeutics 43 

Conclusions •. . 43 

Bibliography 44 

5 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Page 
Plate I. — Micrococcuf! raprinus ivom (1) Ijonilldii and (2) milk-ciilture media. 16 
II. — Micrococcxti^ raprimi.^ from tlie (1) lun<i; ami (2) blood of Anarora 

goats._ 16 

III. — Angora goats No8. 31 and 32 afiected with takosis; photographed 

twenty-four hourn l)efore death 16 

IV. — Angora goat No. 27 six days l)efore death from takosis 16 

V. — Fig. 1, Angora goat from Maryhmd flock, photographed three days 
before death; fig. 2, same as fig. 1, jjqsition assumed after 
exhausting efforts to regain its feet 16 



TAKOSTS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS: A PRELIMINARY 
REPORT ON ITS NATURE, CAUSE, AND PREVENTION. 



By JonN R. Mohler, V. 1\I. D., 
Chief of I'atholdf/lcfil Dirlslo)), Bureau of Aniiixil Lnhifitry, 

AND 

Henry J. Washburn, D. Y. S., 
Aetlv;/ Afslstdiit CHiief of PatJinlogical Dirision, Bureau of Anlniid Buhistrt/. 



I'RELIMIXARY REMARKS. 

It will surprise many readers to learn that there exists a disease of 
any kind sufficiently virulent to kill a goat. As popularly regarded, 
this animal haunts the backyards and alleys in the suburban districts 
of our cities, where he picks up various articles of sustenance which 
would prove fatal if consumed by an}" other species of animal. Kept 
under these conditions, he usually presents such a cheerful and health}" 
appearance that he would at once be pronounced aT)le to combat suc- 
cessfully anything that should come his waj", even an infectious disease. 

While admitting that the common goat ( Capra hircus) is susceptible 
to comparatively few ailments, it will be shown by the following article 
that the Angora, after many generations of careful breeding and selec- 
tion under favorable conditions, has developed a perceptible retrogra- 
dation in vitality and power of resistance against disease and has been 
seriously and fatally affected in man}" sections of the country by a dis- 
ease not accredited to its prototype. During the fall and Aviuter of 
the past year, reports of a chronic, highly fatal contagious disease, 
which seemed to threaten the Angora goat industry in certain dis- 
tricts, reached this Bureau from several different States; and, as the 
symptoms and postmortem lesions described in the letters were entirely 
uidike any of those accompanying the known diseases which affect this 
species of animals, arrangements were made to secure the viscera of 
an animal that had died after showing characteristic symptoms of the 
disease in question, in order to investigate the nature, and, if possible, 
the cause of the affection. As a result, the entire. viscera, including 
the head and intestinal canal of a goat that succuml^ed to the disease, 
was received in good condition fi'om Pennsylvania during December, 
1901. 

7 



8 BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

The inoculated culture media and cover-glass preparations made 
from the heart's blood, lung-^, and spleen showed a small micrococcus 
arranged in the form of a diplococcus, and occasionally in tetrads or 
short chains. Two other organisms were obtained from the liver and 
lungs — one a large spore-bearing rod and the other a motile, peptoniz- 
ing bacillus; but, after a bacteriological examination and inoculation 
tests, the}" were shown to be obvious contaminations, the result of 
postmortem invasion. A similar studj' of the micrococcus isolated 
from the heart's blood revealed its pathogenic properties to mice and 
guinea pigs, and it was thereupon determined to make a more extended 
investigation of the disease. Shortl}' after, one of the writers was 
enabled to visit a large flock of Angora goats, among which the dis- 
ease was prevalent, with deaths occurring daily, and it is principall}'^ 
from the information acquired from an investigation of the disease in 
this outbreak that the following article has been prepared. 

NAME OF DISEASE. 

TaTcosis. — It is with considerable hesitation that a specific designa- 
tion for the disease in question is suggested at this time, and although 
generally the coinage of names is to be avoided, still it seems essential 
and preeminenth" of importance to individualize this affection by means 
of a descriptive term. For this purpose the name Takosis is proposed. 
It is derived from the Greek ti'jKGo, meaning to waste, to cause to 
waste awaj^, and is thought sufficiently descriptive and accurate to 
meet the desired requirements. 

HISTORY OF OUTBREAK. 

On arriving at the farm where the Angora goats were kept, it was 
learned from the owner that goats had ])een maintained on the premises 
for several years, but the majorit}^ of the Hock had been purchased in 
Texas six weeks before the outbreak. The disease had commenced its 
ravages in November, when the animals had been on brush land in the 
mountains. Laurel poisoning was suspected, as several goats had died 
from this cause during the previous summer, but on closer observation 
this opinion was disregarded, not onl}' on account of the different 
s^ymptoms manifested, but also from the chronit; course of the disease. 
The general weakness, loss of flesh, and extreme debilit}" of the animals 
then suggested intestinal parasites as the cause, and worm powders 
were administered for a period sufficiently long to obtain 1-esults but 
without success. It was then thought desirable to change the pasture, 
and accordingly th(> goats were brought down from the mountains to 
the farm, where they were stable-fed. The majoritj" were placed on 
the ground floor of a large hillside barn in various-sized pens to accom- 
modate the seveial hunches into which the animals had been graded. 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 9 

The remainder were allowed the freedom of the yard and hillside 
and were stabled on the barn floor proper between two hayniows. 
Feeding- frouj^hs and mangers had been erected, and this provision 
was in every way satisfactory for the purpose for which it was 
designed. The barn, pens, and yards in which the animals were kept 
appeared to be in good sanitary condition and well adapted to the shel- 
tering of goats. The feed consisted of corn, oats, and hay in ample 
quantities and in proper proportion, and the goats at all times took 
readil}" to this diet, even up to the time of death. In fact, it was a 
curious circumstance to observe, on postmortem examination of a 
large proportion of these animals, that the stomachs were filled with 
recently partaken food. And the goats could l)e seen eating hay some- 
times with evident relish, at other times in a listless manner, when 
their vitality was so reduced as to make standing impossible. Despite 
the change from the mountain pasture, including an entire change of 
surroundings as well as diet, deaths continued with alarming fre- 
quency, and the services of the Bureau were solicited in combating 
the afl'ection. 

The continuance of the fatalities after a complete change of diet and 
shelter, the regularity of the course of the disease, the apparent simi- 
larit}^ of the svmptoms in all the affected animals as well as the evident 
spread of the affection from one animal to another, led the owner to 
be strongly suspicious that he was dealing with a contagious disease, 
and he therefore constructed a pen in a corner of the l)asement wherein 
all the affected goats were placed. This proved to be a step in the 
right direction, but the disease became so prevalent that an additional 
pen was brought into service. As no endeavor had been made to 
separate the latter hospital from the remaining pens, the results were 
not so beneficial as they might have been had this pen been entirely 
isolated, as was the original hospital. As it was. the larger unaffected 
does and bucks were able to hurdle the fence and thus carry the infec- 
tious principle back to the healthy goats. This was at once brought 
to the notice of the owner, and steps were immediately taken to keep 
the healthy animals out of the infected pen as well as to isolate more 
thoroughly the inclosed goats by securely boarding up these quarters. 
This method of segregating the diseased animals, together with the 
disinfecting measures adopted, probably resulted in confining the 
ravages of the affection to a minimum. 

SYMPTOMS. 

The disease presents man}" of the symptoms usuallv accompanying 
a parasitic invasion and is characterized by great emaciation and weak- 
ness, with symptoms of diarrhea and pneumonia. In the early stages 
of the affection there is usually little to indicate that anything is 
seriousl}' amiss with the animal. The first observable symptom mani- 



10 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

festccl is the listless and languid appearance of the animal, evidenced 
by its lagging- behind the flock, and is usually accompanied by a droop- 
ing of the ears and a drowsy appearance of the e3^es. The pulse is 
slow and feeble and the temperature is elevated slightly at first, but 
becomes sulinormal a few days before death. The highest temperature 
observed in the natural disease was 104.1'-, and the lowest, in a pros- 
trated animal a few hours before death, registered 99. 7"^ F. Snuflling 
of the nose, as in a case of coryza, with occasional coughing is some- 
times in evidence. 

As the disease advances the animal moves about in a desultory 
manner, with liack arched, neck drawn down toward the sternum, and 
with a staggering gait. Rumination is seldom impaired. The appetite, 
while not so vigorous, is still present, though capricious, and the 
afi^ected animal shows plainly that the ravages of the disease are 
rapidlj^ overcoming the restorative elements derived from the food. 
The fleece is usually of good growth and presents a surprisingly thriftj^ 
appearance when the condition of the animal is taken into considera- 
tion. All the exposed mucous memljranes appear pale and the respi- 
rations are accelerated and labored. The goats finally become so weak 
that they are readil}' knoclied down and trampled upon by their fellows. 
If picked up they may move ofl' slowly and eat a little, but within a 
few hours are down again, and in this way linger for several daj'S, 
shrinking to about half their natural weight, and occasionally bleat- 
ing or groaning, with head bent around on the side or drawn down to 
the sternum. A fluid discharge from the bowels of a very oflensive 
odor is usually observed in the last few days of life, but this symptom 
is not constant. 

COURSE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY. 

This disease may assume a subacute or chronic type, usually the 
latter. According to our own observations, the animal dies of inani- 
tion in from eight da3^s to six or eight weeks. Several owners have 
reported deaths after only two or three days of illness, but the goats 
doul)tless had been aft'ected for a longer period, although not noticed 
on account of their mingling in the flock. It is the consensus of 
opinion among the breeders interviewed that many of the animals suc- 
ceeded in living for weeks, but gradually became weaker and more 
debilitated, finally dying in a comatose condition. In no instance 
have we observed or heard of the natural rtH-oviM-y of an animal after 
once the symptoms of takosis were noticed. 

The 3-ounger goats seemed to be the most susceptible to the disease, 
although the old animals were by no means immune. The does, weth- 
ers, and also the bucks became affected, and for a period of almost 
two months (December and January) newly diseased goats varying in 
numl)er to as man\' as 11 were removed to the hospital daily on the 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASP: OF GOATS. 11 

Pennsylvania farm where the disease was inv(^sti<iated. Owing to the 
preponderance of does at this phice, it appeared that the ati'ection was 
moHt virident for them, l)ut this fact has not l)een sustained b}^ reports 
subsequentl^v received from other sections. 

l'ATll()LO(iICAL ANATOMY. 

As already indicated, the yenoral appearance of the carcass sinu.- 
lates that produced by a wasting' disease. The visible mucous mem- 
branes are pale and anemic, while the fleece, which appears somewhat 
dry and lusterless, furnishers a shroud for the extremely emaciated 
condition that ])ecomes plainly perceptible on skinnino-. This mask- 
ing quality of the hair prevents an accurate estimate of the condition of 
the animal l)v the eye alone, and necessitates handling of the individual 
to appreciate to the full extent the inroads made b\' the ati'ection. 
The same anemic condition of the subcutaneous and muscular tissues 
is observed on eviscerating the carcasses. The lungs in most cases are 
the seat of a peculiar divcrsitied inflammation, never of a remarkable 
extent. The external appearance of these organs is at times mottled, 
caused b}' a few congested areas, several patches of an iron-gra}' color 
similar to areas of pneumonia during the process of absorption, and 
normal tissue. On section through the reddened patches, a frothy 
mucus mav exude from the bronchioles, and in one case numerous 
punctiform hemorrhages were observed on the sides of the incision. 
This tissue, while not so buo3'ant as a normal portion would be, never- 
theless floats when placed in water. 

The heart in all cases is pale and dull, its tissue soft and flabby, 
while inflamed areas, more or less penetrating, are present at times on 
the epicardium about the auricular appendages, and at other times on 
the endocardium, especially that lining the ventricles. These hemor- 
rhagic patches consist of either pure extravasated l)lood or blood 
mixed with serum, which gives them a more difi^use appearance and a 
gelatinous consistence. The pericardium is slightly thickened, and 
usually contains a small increase of fluid tinged with blood. The liver 
usually appears normal, although the gall bladder is frequently dis- 
tended with pale-yellow water}' bile. The kidneys are anemic and 
softened. The cortex appears slightly thicker and paler than normal, 
and contrasts strongly with the darker pyramids. The capsule strips 
off easily from the parench^niia of the organ. In one instance several 
pale areas simulating anemic infarcts were observed under the capsule 
extending into the cortex, which probably resulted from the compres- 
sion of the capillaries by the swollen parenchymatous cells. The 
presence of albumin in the urine was detected by the nitric-acid test. 
The spleen appears atrophied and indurated, and on section the fibrous 
tissue far exceeds the splenic pulp. Attachments b}- fil)rous adhesions 
may fix the spleen to the diaphragm or the neighboring organs. The 



12 BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

intestines may contain normal fecal matter or scmitlu'Rl feces of a dis- 
agreeable odor. The surface of the mucous membrane is at times 
covered with a slimy mucus or plastic exudate, and the appearance is 
that of a chronic catarrh associated with necrosis of the nuicosa. The 
brain and spinal cord of four cases were examined, but without dis- 
covering anj^ apparent alterations. As an illustration of the ravages 
of this disease, the following brief notes are recorded upon two 
Angora goats which were sent from the same flock to the laboratorj' 
in order that work pre\'iousl3' done and facts alread}' established might 
be confirmed. 

The larger of these was a female, one year old, greatly emaciated, 
and was at no time after its arrival at the laboratory able to stand 
alone, even when lifted up and placed on its feet. It was still able 
and willing to eat and drink, l)ut it showed plainly that the ravages of 
the disease were rapidly getting the best of the reconstructive forces. 
The fleece was of good length, and appeared more glossy than that 
naturally found on animals so seriousl}^ emaciated. All of its exposed 
mucous membranes were pale. Temperature subnormal, pulse imper- 
ceptible, and heart\s action feeble and irregular. Occasional l^leating 
was heard, and the goat seemed in great distress. Because of the 
helpless condition of this animal it was killed the second day after its 
arrival, and at the autopsy the following conditions were noted: 

Muscular tissue pale and anemic; Ij^mph glands enlarged, but of 
normal color; the superficial inguinal glands were especially noticeable 
in regard to this condition. The lungs were afi'ected throughout with 
a finely diversified pneumonia. There were three small areas (0.5 cm. 
to 2 cm. in diameter) of complete hepatization irregularly located near 
the surface of the left lung, while the remaining portions of ])oth lungs 
were grayish red in color. The pleura showed no lesion. The heart 
muscle was pale, and directly beneath the epicardium were a numl)er 
of dark hemorrhagic areas which ranged in size from a pin head to a 
large bean. 

The pericardial sac contained from 250 to 300 c. c. of slightly red- 
dened nonviscid fluid. Liver apparently normal. Spleen shrunken 
and pale. The kidneys appeared anemic and somewhat flab])v. The 
bladder contained about 30 c. c. of albuminous urine. The small 
intestines were inflamed and their internal surface was covered, wher- 
ever the inflammation existed, Avith a slim}, malodorous deposit. The 
stomachs and large intestines were normal, as were also the brain and 
spinal cord. The general appearance of the affected animal would lead 
one to suspect a verminous affection of the alimentary tract. The 
emaciated, anemic condition of the animal, as well as the persistent 
appetite as.sociated with diarrhea, would strengthen such an opinion. 
For this reason a careful examination of the stomachs and intestines 
was made. The only result, however, was the discovery of three 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 13 

specimens of the comparatively harmless 0[/stk-ercvs frnulcolJis^ which 
were attached to the external surface of the rumen. There was no 
trace of animal parasites to be found in the stomachs, intestines, or 
other organs. 

Cultures made from the heart, luno-s, spleen, liver, and mediastinal 
lymph gland proved positive, and in most of these instances the 
micrococcus was grown at once in pure culture. 

The smaller of the two goats received at the laboratory during the 
latter part of ]\Iarch was a wether about one year of age. It was much 
emaciated but still active on its arrival. Its appetite was unimpaired. 
Physical examination made on the day previous to its death showed a 
temperature of 102.5'^ F. ; respiration, 82; pulse, 112, irregular and 
somewhat fluttering. The exposed mucous membranes were pale and 
the eyes dull and lusterless. 

This animal died on the third day after its arrival at the laboratory. 
At the postmortem examination there was found to be general emacia- 
tion of the muscular tissues, which appeared whitened and bloodless. 
About 200 c. c. of fluid was present in the pericardial sac. It was 
reddish, thin, and appeared like greatly diluted blood. The lungs 
floated in water, but presented the same graA^ish red appearance that 
has already been noted in the lungs of its mate. The spleen was 
small, pale, and firm. The kidneys appeared swollen and anemic. 
The bladder was empty. The liver showed no lesions. The mucosa 
of the abomasum was slightly congest(^d. The intestines were empty 
throughout, and appeared Init moderatelv inflamed in the region of the 
duodenum and jejenum. The rumen contained a large quantity of 
undigested food and was in a normal condition. The brain and spinal 
cord presented an equally healthful appearance. Search for animal 
parasites was without result, although the visceral organs were care- 
fully scrutinized. 

Positive cultures were obtained from the pericardial and peritoneal 
fluids and from the liver and lungs. 

BACTERIOLOGY. 

During the visit to the afl'ected flock, several goats were slaughtered 
in various stages of the disease and tubes of agar media (on account of 
their ease of transportation) were inoculated from the various organs 
and heart's blood as well as cover-glass preparations obtained from the 
juices of these tissues. Subsequent examination of the cultures and 
slides showed the presence of a micrococcus, usually arranged in the 
form of a diplococcus, which was found to be in pure cultures from 
the heart's blood, spleen, kidneys, and pericardial fluid, and essentially 
so in the tubes inoculated from the other organs. Inoculations made 
from the spinal cord were negative. Identical organisms have since 
been obtained from Angora goats afiected with the disease from several 



14 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

different localities and their identity proved by cultural examination 
and inoculation tests. Various other micrococci to which the one under 
consideration bears a resemblance were carefully compared, but we 
have not been able to identify the latter with any of the previously 
described organisms, although it presents in a parallel series of cultures 
many characteristics in common with the Sta^'Jtylococcvs pyogenes 
alhus. Owing" to the scarcity of any preeminently conspicuous lesion 
in the affected goats, and to the al)sence of any typical morphologic or 
cultural characteristic of the micrococcus, it was thought desirable to 
derive its name from its host, especially as it did not appear to be 
pathogenic for pigs, dogs, and chickens which fed ui)on the diseased 
carcasses on one of the infected premises, or for horses, cattle, and 
sheep that were quartered in an adjoining portion of the same stable. 
Thei'efore the name lUicroeoccus c(q>i'!iius sp, nov. is suggested. 

MORrnOLOGY. 

The specitic organism of takosis appears in fresh l)ouillon cultures 
as a spherical or oval micrococcus with a diameter of 0.8 to 1 /<, In 
these cultures it is single or in chains of two, three, or four elements, 
but most frequently in })airs, as diplococci (PI. I, ffg. 1), with a diam- 
eter transvei'se to the axis of the chain greater than the longitudinal 
diameter. There is quite a variation in the size of the cocci, probably 
due to the increase in the size of the organism preparatory to the act 
of fission. As the cultures become older the cocci develop a stronger 
tendency to form chains, and after remaining in the inculmtor at 37'-' C. 
for three or more days chains of four to six elements are at times 
observed, as are also irregular clumps of cells which collect in masses 
of varying sizes. When the}^ assume this grouping tendency no oval 
forms are to be found and each of the organisms is strictl}^ spherical 
in outline. In the tissues they are frequently seen to deviate from the 
spherical and assume somewhat of a lancet shape, with the pointed 
extremities in apposition. This same form has been met in samples of 
blood freshly drawn from the ear of an affected goat. The elements 
forming pairs are frequently very unequal in size and are not always 
of uniform shape. (PI. II, fig. 1.) The}' are seen to possess the a1)il- 
ity of executing strong Brownian movements, but make no progress 
across the field of the microscope. No capsule has })een observed sur- 
rounding these micrococci either in the ])lood or when obtained from 
cultures', nor have spores, vacuoles, or crystals been seen. The organ- 
ism stains indistinctly and with difliculty with Loeffler's methylene 
blue and the standard aqueous aniline dyes, with the exception of gen- 
tian violet, but carbol-fuchsin and Gram's and Gram-Weigert's stains 
give clear uniform coloration to the cells. 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF CIOATS. 15 



The organism dev^elops as an aerobe, but it also supports an active 
growth when deprived of oxygen, and is, therefore, a facultative 
anaerobe. It grows both on solid and in li([uid culture media with the 
usual degree of alkalinity, but also multiplies in those that give an 
acid reaction of +1.5 phenolphthalein. 

A temperature of 3Y° C. is most favorable for its development, but 
it will also grow at room temperature. In the latter case the growth 
is more tardy and not so profuse. 

Cultural characteristics. — Bouillon. — In neutral (phenolphtha- 
lein) peptonized beef broth a slight uniform cloudiness is caused by 
the groAvth of the organism within ten hours at 37*^ C. This con- 
dition increases until, after twenty-four hours at the above tempera- 
ture, the cloudiness has become quite marked and uniform. At this 
time a deposit may be noticed beginning to gather on the l)ottom of 
the tu])e. In three days this sediment has increased in volume and 
the turbidity of the supernatant fluid has been lost. The deposit is 
pearl gray in color, and on agitating the tube it rises slowly in the 
shape of a twisted, ropy, coherent mass. A delicate marginal ring 
on the side of the tube is usuall}" produced. No pellicle is formed 
nor can any characteristic odor be detected. The reaction of bouillon 
in which this organism has been growing for five days becomes 
decidedly acid, +1.7 phenolphthalein, and continues to increase in 
acidity subse(]uentl3^ 

Agar. — Growth upon the surface of slant agar occurs in twenty - 
four hours in the form of a white, glistening granular streak com- 
posed of numerous confluent colonies. This narrow line of growth 
becomes more extensive and reaches its maximum width on the third 
or fourth daj", when it shows a ceraceous, at times granular, surface, 
with irregular wav}^ margins. In stab cultures the growth appears 
within 21 hours as profuse, small, grayish white, closelv aggregated 
globules, so densel}^ packed together as to give an irregular nodulose 
appearance macroscopically along the entire length of the line of 
puncture. The onl}' colony which develops at the point of entrance 
of the needle is at first pearly white, Init after twent3^-four hours it 
assumes a grayish color in the center, with a lighter periphery of an 
equal br(>adth. It has a slightly granular center, a regular border, 
and is from S to 1<» mm. in diameter. The surface growth on agar 
plates appears as smooth white, flatly convex, ceraceous colonies, 
about 1.5 nmi. in diameter, with entire borders. By reflected light 
these surface colonies appear homogeneous, but, observed by trans- 
mitted light, they present a white center and pearly margin. The 
submerged colonies develop as light brownish foci with regular out- 
lines. They may be round or lentil shaped, but are always minute in 



16 BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

size. No ohaiacteristic differences in growth of this organism have 
been observed when sown on gl3xerin-agar or on serum-gelatin-agar. 

Gelatin.- — In this medium the growth is slower, evidence of fertility 
not appearing until fortA^-eight hours. In stab cultures the line of' 
puncture is occupied by numerous nodulose milk-white colonies that 
have apparently coalesced, and which extend to the extreme end of the 
track. When examined by the aid of the hand lens, the}" appear as 
closely aggregated individual colonies, w^th regular outlines and pre- 
senting a beaded appearance. These colonies are more minute than 
in agar, and the growth that appears on the surface, though similar in 
consistence, is likewise thinner and less profuse than parallel agar 
colonies. The organism will not liquefy gelatin until several genera- 
tions have been grown upon artilicial media. After a number of sub- 
inoculations the peptonizing of the gelatin conmiences on the seventh 
or eighth day, and later as early as the fourth or fifth day, when the 
surface growth is seen to sink, following which liquefaction is very 
rapid, and may reach the bottom of the tube in forty-eight hours, 
leaving a funnel-like track in its wake. The adjoining medium is then 
attacked, and within ten da} s after inocidation the contents become 
fluid, Avith a white pellicle on the surface. The appearance of the gel- 
atin-plate colonies which develop on the second or third day is probably 
of a more milk-white color, and thinner and slightly smaller than those 
in agar, but otherwise are similar. Liquefaction does not commence 
until the fourth or fifth day, sometimes the seventh day, and this 
orcurs only after continued subinoculations. 

Blood serum. — The organism grows steadily on coagulated blood 
serum. The colonies coalesce, forming a narrow, compact line of 
whitish color, with edges slightly elevated above the level of the body 
of the growth. The water of condensation at the base of the serum 
slant is clouded and contains a white sediment. As the cultures become 
older, or after seven or eight days' growth, they assume a brownish 
color. In this work the serum used was obtained from the blood of a 
dog and was freshly prepared immediately preceding its use. 

Potato. — When a loopful of a vigorous bouillon culture is sown 
upon the surface of potato, the growth that ensues along the line of 
inoculation inside of thirty-six hours is slight, moist, and glistening. 
In forty-eight hours it appears granular and rather feeble, like a clus- 
ter of dewdrops. Growth ceases by the third day, at which time the 
granular surface, with the aid of the hand lens, appears to be made up 
of minute individual raised colonies of a ceraceous nature that have 
become confluent. 

Milk. — Growth develops rapidly when tubes of this medium are 
inoculated, but the only manifestation of the development during the 
flrst twenty-four hours is a slight deposit observed at the bottom of 
the tube. No change occurs in the appearance of the milk until the 



24927— No. 45—03 2 



Description of Pi.atk T. 

Fig. 1. Twenty-four-liours'-()l<l l)oaill(in culture of Micrococois cnprimts stained 
with gentian violet. Camera Incida drawing made at stage level with Zeiss No. 4 
compensating ocular and 2 mm. oil immersion. 

Fig. 2. Forty-eight-hours' -old milk culture stained with gentian violet. Camera 
lucida drawing made at stage level with Zeiss No. 4 compensating ocular and 2 mm. 
oil immersion. 

Description op Plate II. 

Fig. 1. Cover-glass preparation from lung of goat No. 2, dead as a result of nat- 
ural infection. Stained with gentian violet. Camera lucida drawing made at stage 
level with Zeiss No. 4 c-ompensating ocular and 2 nun. oil immersion. 

Fig. 2. Cover-glass preparation of blood from posterior auricular vein of Angora 
goat No. 23, removed aseptically seven days before death from takosis. Stained by 
(iram's method, followed with eosin. Drawing witii camera lucida at stage level 
with No. 6 compensating ocular and 2 mm. oil iumiersion and increased six diameters. 



Bulletin No. 45, B.A.I. 



Plate 





Firf. //. 



Haines, del 



MICROCOCCUS CAPRINUS FROM 

( I ) Bouillon and 1 2 ) milk culture media 



Bulletin No. 45, B.A.I 




Plate II. 



Fis". II- 



JS BIEN & CO LITt- 



MICROCOCCUS CAPRINUS FROMTHE 
(l)LUNGAND(2) BLOOD OfAnGORA GOATS 



Bulletin No. 45, B. A. I. 



Plate III. 




Bulletin No. 45. B. A. I. 



Plate IV. 




Bulletin No. 45, B. A. I. 



Plate V. 




Fig. 1 .—Angora Goat from Maryland Flock; Photographed Three Days Before 

Death. 




Fig. 2.— Same as Fig. 1. Position Assumed After Exhaustive Efforts to Regain 

Its Feet. 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 17 

third or fourth day, wlien the luediuin becomes tirinly coagulated in 
one mass. Within the folk)wino- twenty-four hours the eoaj^'ulum 
becomes partially peptonized and a transparent odorless \\hi\y is col- 
lected at one side of the slit«-htly inclined tube, or at the top, if the 
tube is kept in a vertical position. This separation has been observed 
in various instances to connnence from the fourth to the eij>"lith day, 
and is usually completed after twenty-four to thirty-six hours, at 
which time the solid curd takes up from one-third to one-half of the 
volume of the medium, and either adheres to one side or occupies the 
bottom of the tube. 

Litmus milk is chang'ed to a delicate pitdv on the third day, owing 
to the development of acids, but no coaouluni occurs until the fourth 
or fifth day, when a siuiilar separation of the curd and whey takes 
place, as in plain milk with a greater tendency of the coagulum to 
form tlocculi. 

Fvniuidattce action." — The growth in bouillon, to which 1 i)er cent 
lactose, dextrose, and saccharose has been added, is rapid, especially 
with saccharose, but without any formation of gas. Inside of twent}'- 
four hours the bulb becomes uniformly turbid in all these Huids, with 
a slight sediment in the branch and the appearance of growth at the 
extreme bottom of the closed tube. A faint marginal ring, l)ut no 
pellicle, is ol)served. After three or four da3's the closed ])ranch is 
uniformly clouded throughout, and remains so until the partial gravi- 
tation of the suspended elements, which occurs in six or seven da3'S. 
Lactose bouillon cultures develop 5.1 per cent acid in growing for five 
days at 37° C, while dextrose cultures produce 3.9 per cent and sac- 
charose bouillon cultures 3.5 per cent acid in the same time and under 
the same conditions. In sixteen days these media gave, respectively, 
a reaction of 7.7 per cent, 5.5 per cent, and 10.1 per cent. After 
thirty days' development the production of acid in lactose, according 
to the phenolphthalein test, was 9.2 per cent, dextrose 6.2 per cent, 
and saccharose 11.8 per cent. The production of acids is constant in 
all media. 

IndoJ. — Cultures that have grown in Duidiam's solution for two, 
seven, ten, and thirty days, respectively, were tested for the presence 
of indol l)y the method of Kitasato. In each case the result was 
negati\e. 

Plie.iol. — Bouillon cultures of ten days' development, when submit- 
ted to Weyl-Lewandowski's test for phenol, threw down a precipitate 
of tine crystals which by microscopic examination proved to be phenol. 
The distillate failed to show the reaction for indol. 

Thermal death jxniif. — Tul)es containing 1 c. c. each of bouillon cul- 
tures of a twent^'-four hours' growth were exposed to a temperature 

a The titre of these media was 1 phenolphthalein. 



18 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

of 50'^ C. for vanning" periods of time, and fro.sh tu])e8 of bouillon 
inoculated from them inunediatel}" afterwards. By tlii.s means it was 
shown that the tube which remained in the ))ath for three hours and 
fifteen minutes produced growth, although it was slight and tardy and 
the germ was evidently attenuated, while all that were exposed for 
three hours and twent}^ minutes or longer I'emained sterile. At SS'-' C. 
growth fails to occur after an exposure of only ten minutes. At 62'-' 
C. the organism was killed in six minutes, wliile it resisted a temper- 
ature of 70^ C for three minutes. 

Desiccation. — ^The results obtained by the desiccation of the germ 
for twelve hours in the incubator at 37^ C, with its subsequent 
exposure to the diifuse light of the room for a period of nine days, 
were sufiicient to prove that sterility is thus produced. 

Teinjjerature requirements. — As previously mentioned, this micro- 
coccus develops profusely at incubator temperature, while at 20° 
to 22^ C. the gro^vth is more tardy and less profuse. The maxinuim 
temperature at which the organism would multiply was found to be 
between 45'-' and 46'^ C No growth developed at 47'-' C. 

Effect of low tenij)erature. — Tubes that were placed in a freezing- 
mixture twice daily and kept in the ice chest under tliese conditions 
for four days were subsequently incubated at 37^ C, with the result 
that they became fertile in every instance. 

Action of disinfectants. — When the organism was subjected for 
twenty-six minutes to a l-2,<)00 solution of bichloride of mercury, no 
growth followed, but an exposure to a 1-1,<»0(> solution proved fatal 
in thirt}' seconds. A 1 per cent solution of carbolic acid sufficed to 
prevent de-zelopment only after an exposure of fiftj^-seven minutes, 
while a 2.5 per cent solution caused the deiith of the micrococcus in 
thirt}^ seconds. Formalin, in the strength of a 2 per cent solution, 
required an exposure of thirtj^-one minutes to prevent the subsequent 
development of the organism. These disinfecting solutions were all 
used at room temi^erature (about 21'-' C). 

TATHOGENESIS. 

In order to demonstrate the pathogenic properties of the Jliero- 
coccus caprinus and to establisli its etiological significance in the dis- 
ease in question, the following inoculation experiments were conducted 
upon white mice, Avhite and brown rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, 
dogs, sheep, and goats. 

EXPEKIMENT.S WITH MICE. 

Stihcutaneous. — On Jaiuiary 11 a white mouse was inoculated intra- 
muscularly near the base of the tail with O.l c. c. of an original 
bouillon culture from the spleen of Angora goat No. 2. In a few 
days it became languid and soon developed a diarrhea which termi- 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 19 

nated in death on the twelfth day. The postniorteiu showed the .small 
intestines to be greatl}^ darkened and inflamed. The lungs presented 
localized areas of congestion. The kidneys were enlarged and anemic 
and the spleen dark and swollen. The specific organism was recovered 
in pure culture from the lungs, heart, and spleen. 

L)trn(il>(l(»n Inal. — ^The second mouse was inoculated intraahdominally 
on July 30 with 0.1 c. c. of a culture (sixth generation) which had been 
originally obtained from the lung of guinea pig No. 798 on-Februarj^ 2 
and had been su))jected in the meantime to repeated transplanting on 
slant agar. On ^Vugust 2 the mouse was dull and stupid, with hair 
ruffled, and it remained crouching under the cotton in its cage the 
entire day. These conditions were very manifest on the following 
da}', and on August 4 purging was established, which also continued 
on the 5th. The mouse was very languid and quiet on August 6 and 
7. and died on August S, nine days after the inoculation. 

On postmortem the heart, liver, and lungs appeared normal. The 
intestines were inflamed and empty. The spleen was light in color 
and somewhat swollen. The glands of the lymphatic system, espe- 
cially those of the throat and neck, were enlarged and congested. 

Ingestion. — Mouse No. 3 was fed for four days, beginning Jidy 30, 
upon bread that had been moistened with 8 c. c. of a bouillon culture 
of the same description as that used in the preceding test. On August 
7 the mouse began purging, which continued until August 9, when it 
died. The autopsy showed that the lesions Mere confined to the digest- 
ive organs, the heart and lungs appearing normal. Cultures of the 
micrococcus were recovered from the heart, liver, and kidneys of the 
two last-mentioned mice. 

EXPERIMENTS ON KATS. 

Both the white and brown rats appear to be totally inmiune, although 
submitted to subcutaneous and intraabdominal inoculations with 0.5 
c. c. of fresh virulent cultures. They evinced no apparent disturbance 
of any of their organic functions. 

Feeding experiments were likewise accompanied with negative 
results. 

EXI'ERIJIENTS ON (il'INEA PKiS. 

Guinea pigs ha\e proved susceptible in everv inoculator}' case, and 
the course of the disease evinced by these animals is very typical. 
They show^ gradual (>maciation and wasting, with symptoms of pneu- 
monia appearing a few days previous to death. Numerous cases 
developed enteritis with its consequent purging, but this condition was 
by no means constant. Convulsions, which so frequently attack 
rabbits during the latter stage of this disease, were not at any time 
observed in the guinea pig. The peculiar form of pneumonia already 
noted as appearing in the goat is seen to afi'ect the guinea pig with 



20 BUREATT OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

great reo-iilarity. The organism was readily recovered from the heart, 
lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen; in fact, it was found to be distributed 
throughout the blood of the circulation. Examinations of the llocculent 
sediment occasionally found in the urine resulted negatively. 

A few typicjil cases of the disease fn guinea ,pigs as a result of 
various forms of inoculation may he brietly given as follows: 

StfhcKtU)ie(n/s. — On January 'A guinea pig No. TOT received su])cuta- 
neously O.'io c. c. of a liouillon culture of twenty -four hours' growth 
from the spleen of goat No. 2. The animal soon began to give evi- 
dence of an insidious disturbance of its nutrition, W'hich continued 
until .lanuarv 26, when it died, having in the meantime graduall}' 
reached a condition of extreme emaciation. The organism was recov- 
ered from the lungs, heart, spleen, and mesenteric glands. The period 
of life following the subcutaneous inoculation of doses ranging from 
0.25 to 0.5 c. c. varied from sixteen to twenty-three days, and averaged 
twenty and one-half days. 

liitrainvsciilar. — On January 3 guinea pig No. TIO received 0.25 c. c. 
of the same culture used in the test with No. TOT, injected intramuscu- 
larly. Eight days later, or on January 11, the animal died. 

Postmortem examination showed the carcass serioush^ emaciated. 
Liver and spleen enlarged, lungs congested, and the kidneys pale and 
softened. 

Intramuscular inoculations of from 0.25 c. c. to 0.T5 c. c. of a 
twent^^-four hour bouillon culture resulted in the death of the guinea 
pigs in from eight to thirteen days, wnth an average of nine days. 

Litraah(J<niii)ial. — Guinea pig No. 801 was inoculated intraabdomi- 
nalh' on January 20 with 0.T5 c. c. of a bouillon culture from the 
spleen of goat No. 2. Nine days later the animal died and the post- 
mortem examination disclosed the usual .picture of a w'asted carcass, 
occluded lungs, inflamed intestines, fatty degeneration of the liver, 
and anemic kidneys. The average period of life following an injection 
of 0.25 to 0.T5 c. c. by this method was twelve days, altliough death 
occurred in some cases as early as the eighth and as late as the twen- 
tieth day. 

I)ujei<tion. — After being deprived of food for twenty-four hours, 
guinea pigs Nos. 1413 and MIT were fed 10 c. c. of a twenty-four- 
hour bouillon culture soaked in l)read crumbs. No delet(M-ious results 
were observed as a result of this feeding experiment. 

EXPERIMENTS ON RARBITS. 

These animals possessed a certain degree of immunity, mau}^ of those 
used in the various tests remaining unafi^ected. Those that became ill 
showed a marked rise of temperature, which diminished slowly after 
reaching its crisis, and for twenty-four hours preceding death was 
subnormal. Diarrhea and wasting uniformly appeared, and the sub- 
ject frequentl}' died in convulsions or tetanic spasms. 



TAKOSTS, A CONTAGIorS DISEA8K OF GOATS. 21 

IntraahdomliKd. — The iiitraiilKloiniiiiil iiiocuhitioii of 1 c. c. of a 
bouillon culture produced death in twcntA^-tive days. The postmortem 
examination showed the lungs to be normal, the heart pale andHabby, 
liver enlarged and hyperemic, with gall l)lad(ler greatly distended. 
Si)le(Mi shrunken and showed excess of tibrous tissue. Intestines con- 
tained nuich gas and a small amount of fluid ingesta. The mucosa of 
the small intestines presented a catarrhal inflammation. Pure cultures 
Avei'e obtained from these aii'ected organs. 

//^/'/y//'/v/r//rt//.— Ral»bits Nos. 382 and 388 were injected intra- 
tracheally with 1.5 and 1 c. c, of a bouillon culture, which resulted in 
death on the twenty-ninth and twenty-second day, respectively. 
Ral)bits Nos. 381 and 47'2. each receiving 0.5 c. c, remained unatifected. 
The postmortem examinatu)n of No. 382 showed the nmcous mem- 
l)rane of the trachea to i)i> inflamed in patches, especially along the 
anterior portion. Both lungs were hepatized in luunerous localized 
areas. Heart flabby, liver dark, and gall ])ladder flUed with water}- 
l)ile. Spleen indurated and reduced in size. Intestines- catarrhal and 
empty. Bladder d'stended with albuminous urine. 

On postmortem examination of rabbit No. 383 the hide was found 
to be very tightl}' attached to the subcutaneous tissue and extremely 
dry. The pharynx and trachea were inflamed throughout. Cephalic 
lobes of both lungs hepatized. The auricles were distended and the 
heart nuiscle pale. Spleen shrunken. Kidney's dry and flabb3^ 
Liver dark in color, with distended gall l)ladder. Intestinal contents 
fluid. 

(Culture media inoculations were positive in both the above cases. 

Intravowus. — Rabbit No. 211> was inoculated intravenously on Jan- 
uary 3 w-ith 0.5 c. c. of bouillon culture from spleen of goat No. 2. It 
remained unaffected. 

On January 15 ral)])it No. 233 received 1 c. c. of the second genera- 
tion of a l)Ouillon culture obtained from the spleen of goat No. 2. On 
January 23 it refused to eat and on the following day it died in tetanic 
spasms. ^licroscopic and cultural examinations demonstrated the 
presence of the 2flcr<>co<x'H.s caj^rinux in the heart, lungs, and liver. 

/luje.siton. — After twenty-four hours' abstinence from food, rabbit 
No. 728 received the organism mixed in its food for two consecutive 
days, conunencing on April IT. The animal remained unaflected for 
a period of three months, at which time it was withdrawn from the 
experiment. 

Rabbit No. 296 was subjected to the same feeding test on April IT. 
On May T the rabbit seemed partially paralyzed in hind limbs; had 
fallen away greatly in flesh, and was a mere skeleton. May 8, hind 
limbs fully paralyzed. May 11, died after a period of twenty -live 
days. 

Postmortem examination showed the animal to be verv anemic and 



22 HUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

emaciated. Lungs appeared reddened and tilled with l)lood. Heart 
normal. Liver enlarged and greatly darkened with the gall bladder 
distended with bile. Spleen showed an apparent atrophy and dryness 
of the splenic pulp. Kidneys of normal size but pale in color. Blad- 
der greatly distended and filled with albuminous urine. It was 
attached at its fundus to the cecimi by frail bands of fibrous tissue. 
The ileum was likewise adherent to the parietal peritoneum and to the 
liver. The stomach contained normal food, but its mucosa was cov- 
ered with a thick glutinous mucus. The stomach wall appeared tender 
and was readily torn. Its pjdoric end and the ])eginning of the duo- 
denum was greatly thickened and the mucosa inflamed and convo- 
luted. Inflammatory mucus could also be observed throughout the 
entire extent of the small intestines: Cover-glass preparations from 
the juices of the liver and lungs showed the presence of the specific 
organism. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH CHICKENS. 

The inoculation of fowls proved that the micrococcus possessed pur- 
gative properties for these l)irds, but in no case was the result fatal. 

Intravenous injections of 1 c. c. and subcutaneous inoculations of 3 
c. c. were made on four chickens, with uniform results. On the day 
following the inoculation the fowls become dull and listless. On the 
second day the}^ refuse their food and are afl'ected with diarrhea, which 
may persist for forty-eight hours, but in no case under our observa- 
tion did it last longer. Recovery of normal condition is rapid after 
cessation of the purging. 

It may also be mentioned at this time that the carcasses of the goats 
having died of takosis on a Pennsylvania farm were fed by the owner 
to his chickens and swine, but in neither case was any unfavorable 
result observed. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH DOGS. 

These animals, like rats, appear to be totally immune to the action 
of the organism. They were subjected to intravenous inoculations of 
0.75 c. c. of a fresh bouillon culture, but without developing any 
untoward results. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH SHEEP. 

Sheep have proved nearl}^ as resistant as dogs. Two animals 
received intravenously and subcutaneously 1 and 2 c. c, respectively, 
of a twenty-four-hour bouillon culture. In the case of each sheep 
there was a temporary rise of temperature following the inoculation, 
which lasted about twentj^-four hours. These animals were kept 
under careful surveillance for thirty-eight da3's, and during that time 
no after effect from the action of the organism was noted. 

In connection with this exijerience it should l)c recalled that a num- 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 23 

ber of Shropshire sheep were iu inunediate contiut with the <>'outs on 
the Pennsylvania farm where the disease was first observed. In ho 
case ha\'e sheep contracted the disease by such exposure. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH GOATS. 

Nicole and Refik Bey, when writing of an infectious disease which 
was decimating- the flocks of goats near Constantinople, said that, 
although the disease spread rapidly from goat to goat when the sick 
were pastured witli healtliy animals, they had found goats in the lab- 
orator}' to be very resistant to all attempts at artificial inoi-ulation. 
The results in the present instance warrant us in fully indorsing their 
conclusion regarding the resistant nature of goats, especially the com^ 
mon goat, when subjected to similar conditions. 

The iirst goat upon which inoculation tests were made was a large 
aged male that had spent mucli of his life iu harness in the vicinity of 
this city. He received intravenously 2 c. c. of a three-day -old bouillon 
culture on April 14, when his temperature was 102^ F. There was 
no sudden marked change, but after several days 103. 2"^ F. was 
recorded. The fever gradually subsided until normal was reached. 
No evidence of any effect from the inoculation, other than this rise 
of temperature, was noticed. On June T he was reinoculated intra- 
abdominally with 5 c. c. of bouillon culture obtained from the liver of 
a guinea pig which had died but three days previously. His tempera- 
ture just previous to inoculation was 102° F., but it immediatel}^ rose 
until it reached 104.6^ F. on the evening of the same day. On the 
following day 104° F. was recorded, 103.1' F. on the third day, and 
normal on the fourth. No indication of any other disturbance as a 
result of the inoculation was noticed at an}' time. 

An aged female goat that had been previoush' kept in the city as a 
milk producer was inoculated intravenouslv wnth 5 c. c. of a bouillon 
culture (fourth generation) on June 20. Temperature at time of inocu- 
lation was 102° F. The first rise in temperature was noted on June 
23, when 102.6° F. was recorded, with 103° F. on June 24. On the fol- 
lowing da}' 103.4' F. was reached and the animal refused the greater 
part of its food. On June 26 inappetence continued and purging 
began, while the temperature dropped to 102.8° F. The following 
day, the seventh after inoculation, the patient was purging freely a 
quantity of slate-colored feces. Temperature, 102.2° F. On the 28th, 
although the excreta were still soft and whitish in color, there was no 
distress from diarrhea. The animal still refused food. On the fol- 
lowing day, the ninth of the test, the appetite began to return, and 
the goat soon recovered its normal condition. 

On July 10 goat No, 14, a small mature female, received intra- 
abdominally 4 c. c. of a bouillon culture obtained from the heart of a 
guinea pig. During the four days following the inoculation the goat 



24 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

neither ate nor dnink. Tlie maximum temperature was reached on 
July 16, when it registered 103. 8 '' F. ■ On July 21 diarrhea, with 
whitish mucous discharge, developed, which persisted for seven days, 
during which period the patient's appetite was again greatly impaired 
and capricious. The condition and strength of the animal i-apidly 
wastt^d away. She remained incuml)ent much of the time, and when 
obliged to move walked with a staggering gait. Her illness was so 
serious at the ci-isis of the attack that her ultimate recover}' was a 
matter of great surprise to those who were caring for her. Her con- 
valescence was rapid as soon as the diarrhea was overcome, and she 
soon began to eat well and to make daily improvement in flesli and 
spirit. 

Goat No. 15, a young native female, was fed 200 c. c. of a bouillon 
culture on July 23 and a like amount on the day following. Aside 
from a transitory rise in temperature of 1.1^ F., there was no result 
a^iparent. 

Another experiment was made on a grade Angora goat. No. 1741, 
the subject being a young female which received intraabdominall}', 
on October 2, 1 c. c. of a bouillon culture from guinea pig No. 1140, 
which was inoculated with goat bouillon culture. Her temperature 
reached its highest elevation on October 8, when it registered 104.5" F., 
and no material change was noted until the decline developed about 
twenty-four hours before death. October 10 the subject became dull 
and inactive and diarrhea began to make itself manifest. On the fol- 
lowing da}' violent purging had become established, the feces being- 
thin, watery, and nearly white in color, the animal at this time appear- 
ing noticea))ly shrunken and weakened. On October 12 the purging 
still continued and the subject began to manifest extreme weakness. 
On the morning of the following day, the eleventh day of the test, 
the animal died. No indications of any respiratory disturbance were 
evidenced at any time during the course of the disease, although the 
lung were found to be affected at autopsy. On post mortem exami- 
nation the carcass showed great emaciation of the muscular tissues, 
which appeared whitened and bloodless. The mucous membranes 
were anemic. The heart was seen to be pale, with a few slight 
petechial hemorrhages beneath the epicardium around the supiu'ior 
border of the ventricles. Pulsations had stopped during diastole, 
leaving the ventricles iilled with blood. The lungs showed a moderate 
attack of the characteristic pneumonia. The liver appeared darkened, 
in color, while the gall bladder was distended to the size of a man's 
list. The fluid which caused this distension lacked the oily viscid char- 
acteristics of Jiormal bile, l)ut appeared like water of a greenish color. 

The spleen of this animal was pale and shrunken fo a))out one-half 
of its normal size. The kidneys were softened and anemic and the 
bladder contained albuminous urine. Rumen, reticulum, and omasum 



TAK08IS, A CONTAGIorS DISP:ASE OF GOATS. 25 

were, with their contents, in nornuil condition, l)nt the mucosa of the 
abonuisuni showed a sliglit conoestion, and a mucoid exudate was found 
to cover its entire internal surface. No food was found in the fourth 
stomach, its contents consistino* of liquid only. A like congestion and 
slim}' exudate were seen to extend throuoh th(> duodenum. Th(» laroe 
intestines were l)loodless and empty. l>ut the lymphatic olands of this 
region ap]3eared slightly hemorrhagic. The l)lood V(>ssels of the l)rain 
were somewhat congested, while the spinal cord presented nothing- 
abnormal. 

At the beginning of this (experiment the weight of the goat was 45 
pounds. Weighed again immediately after death, it was shown that 
there had been a loss of 7i pounds during the course of the disease. 

Pure cultures of the specific micrococcus were recovered from the 
tissues of this animal. 

PUODUCTIOX OF TOXINS. 

In order to ascertain if the micrococcus under consideration pro- 
duced a toxin, a number of inoculation experim«Mits were made both 
with the sterile tiltrate of Ijouillon cultures and with the sterilized 
cultures. 

The filtrates used in this experiment were obtained by growing a 
flask of bouillon culture for ten days at a temjjerature of 37 C. 
Afterwards the culture was filtered through a C'hamV)erland tilter (F), 
and, if proved sterile by media inoculations, the tiltrate was then 
read}' for use. 

Four guinea pigs were used, each receiving the hltrate subcuta- 
neously. No. 1151 received 1 c. c. of the filtrate Felu'uary 25, but 
because of an accident it was necessary to remove the animal from 
the experiment before the test was completed. No. 1152 received 
1.5 c. c. of the filtrate February 25, and seventeen days later, March 
14, an inoculation of 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture was injected. The 
guinea pig remained acti\e and hearty, save for a temporary disturb- 
ance following the inoculation on February 25, until Octol>er 10, 
when it suddenly succum]>ed to an attack of pneumonia. The car- 
cass was not emaciated, but, on the contrary, was well supplied with 
fat. Cultures made froiu the various organs failed to produce the 
MicrococeKs caj>rh) w.s\ 

No. 1153 received 2 c. c. of the filtrate on February 25. and seven 
days later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture, which was followed b}- a 
reinoculation of 0.5 c. c. of virulent culture ten days afterwards. 
Shortly after the application of the first inoculation' of filtrate the 
animal was affected by dullness and loss of appetite, but after three 
days these symptoms disappeared, and the animal recovered its pre- 
vious condition of perfect health, which it retained until October 18, 
when it died of enteric hemorrhage. The carcass of this animal was 



26 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

well nouri.shed and showed no traces of wasting oi- emaciation. The 
lungs contained numei'oiis circnmscril)ed pigment areas, the remains 
of former hemorrhagic infarcts. As two hundred and twenty-eight 
da_ys had elapsed since the animal received its first inoculation with a 
virulent culture of the MicrococGus caj>riniis, it was, of course, impos- 
sible to establish an undisputal)le relation between the lesions of the 
lungs and the action of this germ, but it is not at all impossible that 
these ecchj-mosed areas were former centers of inflammation resulting 
from the inoculation of March 14. Cultures mad<> from the organs of 
this guinea pig gave negative results. 

No. 1154 was inoculated with 3 c. c. of filtrate on February 26, which 
was followed by a rise of temperature and slight indisposition. Seven 
days later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent culture was injected, and ten days 
subsequently 2 c. c. of the filtrate. The general appearance of this 
animal for six weeks following its inoculation with virulent culture 
showed nothing amiss, but during the latter days of April it became 
aflected with lameness in all its feet. Fissures gradually developed on 
the plantar surface of each foot, and the inflammation later extended 
to the joints of the legs. This condition continued to become more 
aggravated until the animal died, on Maj" 12. In addition to the 
lesions of the legs and feet, there was a slight dropsical effusion within 
the abdominal cavity at the time of holding the autopsy, but cultures 
obtained from the tissues failed to show the micrococcus under con- 
sideration. 

The efl'ect of heat upon the toxins was ol)tained by heating the filtrate 
for thirty minutes at 60° C. Four guinea pigs were then inoculated, 
respectivel}^ with 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. c. of this material, at the same time 
that four others received the same quantity of the filtrate which had 
not been subjected to such heating. Three days later these eight 
animals, together with two control g4Tinea pigs, were inoculated intra- 
abdominally with 0.5 c. c. of virulent culture. The four guinea pigs 
receiving, respectively, 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. c of the heated filtrate died in 
twenty-one, sixteen, nine, and tw^elve days, respectivel}^, after the 
injection of the virulent culture, while the check animals lived for nine 
and thirteen ^aya. Three of those guinea pigs that received the 
unheated filtrate are at present writing in an apparently healthy con- 
dition, while guinea pig No. 2832, that was inoculated with 1 c. c. of 
the filtrate and three da3's later 0.5 c. c. of a virulent bouillon culture, 
died of typical talvosis on the seventeenth day. 

It appears from these experiments that the unheated filtrate pos- 
sessed bactericidal properties and conferred limited power to prevent 
an attack of takosis, but when subjected to a temperature of 60° C. 
for thirty minutes its toxin was presumably destroyed, as no protect- 
ive action was observed following its use. 

In order to test further (see also remarks on treatment, p. 42) the 
immunizing effect produced by the administration of the toxins 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 27 

in the tiltratc, 5 c. c. of this tiiiid were injected subcutaneoii.sl}' 
on September IS into each of four goats, two being- affected 
with scours and great!}' enfeebled, and two health}^ animals, Nos. 
193() and 721. The first two died within forty-eight hours, as was 
expected, but the latter two are still healthy. The extent of inunu- 
nity conferred by this filtrate was the su))ject of further consider- 
ation, and for this i)urpose goat No. l!>o() alone was used. The 
animal Avas a young female Angora goat weighing 48 pouiuls and 
received intra\'enously, on October 2, 1 c. c. of a l)Ouillon culture pre- 
pared from the heart of a guinea pig that had died from a culture of 
goat spleen. At that time her temperature was 102.4 F. An eleva- 
tion was noted on October 0, when 103.5^ was recorded; on th(^ Sth, 
104"^; and on the 10th, 105. 2"^, at which time purging became estaljlished. 
On October 11 the animal refused food, was unwilling to stand, and 
was purging f reel}', the feces being very light in color and covered 
with mucus. October 12, still purging; feces nearly white; temper- 
ature 104.2'. October 14, feces firmer, but still white; temperature 
normal; weight, 44 pounds; appetite improving; circulation of extremi- 
ties impaired to such an extent that they feel cold to the touch; normal 
conditions quickh' returned after this time. After an interval of 
twenty-five days from the time of first injection another inoculation 
was made with 2 c. c. of a virulent culture 'intraabdominally, since this 
method has always shown more positive results. In this instance the 
goat became dull and languid, which conditions, however, quickly 
passed away, and her temperature never exceeded 102.4'-' F. 

That the innnunity was conferred b}- the 5 c. c. of filtrate received 
on September IS must appear evident when taken in connection with 
the results obtained with the check animal, goat No. 1741 (see p. 24), 
which died eleven days after the inoculation with a similar culture. 
After one month had elapsed from the date of the complete recover}'^ 
goat No. 1J)3() was bled asepticall}^, and the sterile serum procured for 
further experimentation. Five guinea pigs were inoculated, respec- 
tivel}'^, with 1. 1,5, 2, 2.5, and 3 c. c, and three da^'s subsequently 
received 0.5, 0.25, 0.75, 0.50, and 0.30 c. c, respectively, of virulent 
culture, which killed the check guinea pig in eleven da^'s after an intra- 
abdominal injection. At the present time three of these guinea pigs 
show no inconvenience as a result of the inoculation, while the third 
and fifth guinea pigs, that received 0.75 and 0.3 c. c. of the culture, 
died on the fortj'-first and thirty-ninth day, respectively, the latter 
with takosis and the former of an intercurrent disease. 

It will be seen at once that the immunizing properties of blood 
serum obtained from an inuniuie goat were not perfect in their action 
when applied to the guinea pigs in this test, although the protection 
of three of the animals (Nos. 1, 2, and 4) offers sufficient encourage- 
ment to warrant further investigation along this line. Had the pro- 



28 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

tec'tive powers of the serum been thcoretieally ellective, tlie guinea 
pig- that died with takosis (the fifth of the test group) would have 
been the last one of the iiundx-r to show the effects of the disease, as 
it received the largest amount of the serum and one of tlie smallest 
amounts of the virulent culture. Comparison of the duration of the 
affection in the case of the guinea pig that died of takosis thirty-nine 
days after the virulent culture was applied, with its course of onl}^ 
eleven days in the animal used as a check, indicated further that the 
serum exerted some retarding action upon tln^, adxance of the disease 
in this animal. This same serum has been sul ejected to a practical 
test on twenty goats in a flock of two hundred and lifty in whicli the 
disease is now prevailing. The results of the above treatment can not 
be obtained in time for this publication. The test with blood serum 
as an inmuuiizing agent against takosis is at present too incomplete to 
warrant any accurate estimate of its protective value, and, although 
the few experiments herein recorded show encouraging results, the 
imnumity has not yet been proved sufficiently constant or relia])le to 
justify at present a reconnuendation of serum for general use as a pro- 
tective agent. 

After observing the apparent bactericidal properties possessed b}' 
the ffltrate it was decided to ascei'tain the effect of the sterilized 
bouillon cidtures. These ^ere prepared by growing the culture for 
ten days in 5 per cent glycerinized peptone bouillon, then killing it 
by an exposure of thirty minutes to CO"^ C. , and afterwards ffltering 
through sterilized cotton. From this study it Avould appear that the 
toxins are extracellular and that they are destroyed by the above tem- 
perature, as the injection of this fluid failed to produce the least 
reaction in the inoculated guinea pigs; nor were the guinea pigs ])ro- 
tected in the slightest degree from a subsequent inoculation of a pure 
culture, as will be seen from the following- 
Six guinea i)igs inoculated on Noveml)er 7 with the sterilized cul- 
tures in (loses ranging from 1 to 3 c. c. subsequently received, sul)cu- 
taneously, 0,5 c. c. of a Airulent culture simultaneously with two 
check animals. Deaths followed among the first group of animals on 
an average of sixteen days, while the two control animals died on the 
foui'teenth and eighteenth days, respectively. Inoculation experiments 
were ))egun at the same time on a small flock of goats, each animal 
receiving 3 c. c. subcutaneously, which was repeated in ten days. The 
Yjreliminary I'eport in this instance confirms the work done on guinea 
pigs, and shows rather conclusively that the inununizing properties of 
sterilized cultures are practically nil. 

MICKOSCOI'IC LESIONS. 

LiDKjs. — iVIicroscopically, the terminal bronchioles and alveolar pas- 
sages present swollen w alls and contain various amounts of mucous 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OK GOATS. 29 

exudate iind de.sqiuimated cells as a result of a catarrhal iutlanuuation. 
In most cases where the diseased areas in the luiii^s ol" the i^oat were 
examined there has been found little pneumonic consolidation, but 
bronchiolitis is (|uite pi-ominent. Some small areas of consolidation 
are seen with the alveoli and air sacs tilled with uranular de))ris and 
variable iuind)crs of epithelial cells, red-blood corpuscles, and leuco- 
cytes. An active desqaamation and proliferation of the epithelial 
lininu- membrane is present. The interalveolar septa show a consider- 
able round cell infiltration. The blood vessels of the septa are dis- 
tended and surrounded by miorated leucocytes. Frequently a bronchus 
is found ati'ected. with the lumen containino- a small number of des- 
quamated epithelial cells and slight fibrinous exudate and leucocytes. 
A round cell infiltration is seen in the neioh])orhood of the bronchus, 
the walls of which are swollen, indurated, and granular in appeai'ance. 
The surrounding- peribronchial tissue shows in most cases an intlam- 
mation V)y contiguity. The pulmonary lesions observed in the guinea 
pig present the characteristics of a ))ronchopneumonia. The organism 
is occasionally found in the fibrinous exudate and in the blood vessels. 

Liver. — In the liver of the guinea pig- there appears to be a conges- 
tion of the blood vessels, especially in the portion lyiug- l)eneath the 
capsule, and is accompanied by focal ai'eas of fatty degeneration 
occupying the peripheral zone of the acini in the form of numerous 
small globules, whiclx in some cells completely obscure the nucleus. 
The protoplasm of the hepatic cells is extremeh' gramdar. In the 
organ ol)tained from the goat there is no congestion, but the areas of 
fatty degeneration are obser\able, although in a small degree, and 
always in insular patches. 

Kidneys.— 'V\\(^ kidneys present the microscopic appeai'ance usually 
observed in catarrhal or parenchymatous nephritis, with the most 
marked changes occurring- in the cortex. Certain Malpig-hian tufts 
show an increase of cells due to the proliferation of the vascular 
epith(dium, obscuring and compressing- the capillaries. Increase of 
the cells of the tufts sometimes occurs. The intercapsular space is 
dilated and contains an albuminous exudate. The convoluted tubules 
show the epithelium to be swollen and gramdar, and in some cases 
des([uamated, while the luminaof these tubules also show the presence 
of an albuminous deposit. As the micrococcus has not been found in 
till' kidney on microscopic examination, the lesions here are presum- 
ably the result of the toxins. 

Heart. — Localized areas of parenchymatous degeneration may be 
observed, involving- isolated libers or groups of fibers. Their contents 
are found to be fine granules of an al])uminous nature, which do not 
completel}' obscure the striations or the nuclei of the nuiscle. In 
some fibers a more advanced stage has occurred, which results in the 
production of small, dark granules, accompanied with small droplets 



30 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

of fat. In the heart of the <;uinea pijj the intertibrilhir connective 
tissue shows a proliferation of the nuclei, and there is a slight indica- 
tion of a round cell infiltration. 

Spleen. — A microscopical examination shows a thickened capsule, 
which is wrinkled and contracted. An increase in the thickness of the 
fibrous trabeculte proceeding from the deeper layer of the capsule and 
from the walls of the small blood vessels is the conspicuous featuie, 
with the accompau3'ing atrophy of the Malpighian corpuscles and 
splenic pulp. The connective tissue cells and delicate strands of fibril- 
lated tissue are very noticeal)le among the lynn)hoid elements. 

Small /nte-sti?ies. — The appearance of these tissues, especially of the 
duodenum, is that of a productive inflammation with exudation, asso- 
ciated with more or less necrosis of the mucosa. The nuu'ious mem- 
brane of the small intestine shows extensive desquamation of the 
epithelial lining and at times a superficial or even complete necrosis of 
the glandular layer. The mucosa may also present a typical produc- 
tive inflammation with exudation of a fibrinous character and small 
cell infiltration around the engorged blood vessels. The solitary folli- 
cles are h3'perplastic. The serous coat is thickened and the ])lood 
vessels visibly distended. Scattered profusely throughout the exudate 
and within the blood vessels of the submucosa, as well as in the intact 
mucosa, are the specific micrococci. 

BLOOD EXAMINATION. 

The attention of one who is called to examine a goat suffering with 
takosis is at once attracted by the anemic, bloodless appearance of all 
the exposed membranes. So prominent is this symptom that efforts 
have been made to determine the effect of the disease upon the blood. 
The germ {JlicrococcKS caprin us) is readily recovered from the l)lood 
of the circulation in any part of the body of animals that have died as 
a result of the test inoculations or of the natural disease. It is found 
in the plasma, but never within the cells themselves. Ellenberger 
(Physiologic der Haussaugethiere) and R. Meade Smith (Physiology 
of Domestic Animals) give the number of red corpuscles in a cubic 
millimeter of normal goat blood as varying from 9,00( >,000 to K ),0( )0,000. 
A count was made from the blood of several goats o1)tained for exper- 
imental purposes in the laboratory and the result was confirmatory of 
this statement in a Acry satisfactory degree. The average result of 
the count in these cases gave the number as 9,976,000 i)er cublic milli- 
meter and about 9,200 leucocytes in the same amount of l)lood. Later 
a count was made from the blood of an Angora goat sent to the labo- 
ratory during the last stages of the disease. 

The animal was greatl}^ emaciated, of an anemic, debilitated appear- 
ance, and was suffering from profuse diarrhea. AVc have no means of 
knowing how long this goat had been affected by the disei se, but 



TAKOSrS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 31 

evidently it had been ailing for some weeks. The eount of red cor- 
puscles in this instance gave 11,208,000, showing a material increase 
above the normal number. Other counts were made from the blood 
of two Angora goats that had been receive.! at the laboratory in a 
healthy condition and afterwards inoculated with Mici'ococcus caprinus^ 
one receiving 1.5 c. c. of a bouillon culture intravenously and the 
other 1 c. c. intraabdominally. Violent purging ensued in eight daj's 
in l)oth cases. The count of the corpuscles of the blood was made 
before the animals recovered fully from the effects of their inoculation 
and when the purging was quite profuse. The result obtained b}' 
counting the corpuscles under these conditions was that the blood in 
the first contained 11.19«).0O(> red-])lood cells and 20,.56(> white cells per 
cubic millimeter, while in the second case the red and white cells num- 
bered 12.160,000 and 18.120, respectively. The leucocytosis in these 
instances was chietl}' due to an increase in the numl)er of polymor- 
phonuclear leucocytes and the eosinophiles. In another case atfected 
with the natural disease the red corpuscles numbered 10,208,000 and 
the white corpuscles 11,800. 

It will be seen from the few blood counts thus far made that the 
number of red corpuscles is not diminished; in fact, it is sometimes 
increased (polycythemia), especially during the presence of the diar- 
rhea, and is probably only relative, coincident with the removal of the 
watery constituents of the blood. The individual red cells are small 
(normal size 4.1/<. — Ellenberger), pale, and light in Aveight. presumably 
the result of the loss of nitrogenous material. Thev are also changed 
in outline, particularly in the later stages of the disease, when they 
assume an irregular, misshapen form (poikilocytosis). The increase 
in the number of leucocytes (leucocytosis) is absolute and dependent- 
upon the chronic nature of this infection. In explaining the phe- 
nomenon in this instance we are inclined to ignore the overproduction 
theory of Vii'chow and Ehrlich and accept the idea advanced b}' Von 
Limbeck. Jakob, and Goldschneider. who hold that the bacterial 
toxins circulating in the blood act in a chemotactic manner to attract 
into the ])lood stream leucocytes which were previously in the lymph 
channels and spleen, and that these white torpuscles added to those 
already in the blood produce the leucocytosis. The specific gravity of 
the blood was taken in a number of instances with the average record 
of 1.031. It is utterly impossible to determine the amount of hemo 
globin present l)y means of the Von Fleischel instrument, as the 
greenish tint of the l)lood is not comparable to the red of the index 
glass. However, the amount of hemoglobin was relatively ascertained 
as 50 per cent by a modification from Schmaltz (Pathologic des Blutes 
und die Blutkrankheiten. Leipzig, 1896), considering the normal 
specific gravity of the blood of the goat as 1.012. 
21927— No. 15—03 3 



32 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

TECHNIQUE. 

For the histolog-ical study of the pathological alterations, the tissues 
were fixed in either Graf's chrome-oxalic fluid, Zenker's fluid, or g-rad- 
uallj^ ascending strengths of alcohol and hardened in dilute chloroform. 
The}' were then infiltrated and embedded in paraflin and cut in serial 
sections. In bringing out the pathological lesions various staining 
preparations were employed, including hematoxylin and eosin, Wei- 
gert's fibrin stain, Bismarck brown and eosin, Gram's iuethod followed 
b}^ eosin, alum-carmin, and carbol-fuchsin counterstained with meth}^- 
lene blue, the best and most distinct sections resulting from the first 
two mentioned agents. 

DESCRIPTION OF PREVIOUS EPIZOOTICS OF ALLIED CHARACTER AMONG 

GOATS. 

The first mention in foreign literature of any disease of goats simu- 
lating the one now under consideration seems to have been made by 
Pusch (12),^' of Dresden. The disease appeared in the fall of 1894 
among a number of goats recentl}^ brought from the Simmenthal of 
Switzerland for breeding purposes. Upon their arrival in Saxony 
they were sold to different breeders and in this way were scattered 
about in six neighboring towns and upon thirt}" various farms. Sev- 
eral days later a disease appeared simultaneously among the goats of 
this importation in five of the six towns in which they had been 
received, and it quickly spread to the neighboring goats with Avhich 
they had been placed. 

The animals were purchased on Octol^er 8, and were unloaded from 
the cars and delivered to their several owners on October 12. Noth- 
ing was seen to be wrong with them at this time, but after a few days 
complaints began to reach the authorities which stated that the goats 
were aflected with cough and diarrhea. They were visited by Dr. 
Pusch on October 25, thirteen days after their arrival from the south. 
On the first farm which he visited, he found three imported goats and 
one native goat sick. All of them coughed in response to percussion 
with a short, superficial, painful cough. The native goat seemed to be 
more seriously affected than those recently arrived from Switzerland. 
Its temperature was 10.5° C, respiration 35, and pulse 110; mucous 
membranes yellowish ; nostrils widely distended ; breathing labored and 
painful; appetite poor. The animal was so sluggish that she refused to 
stand. On another farm he found that one of the goats had been killed 
and its viscera buried. The heart and lungs were recovered and exam- 
ined, but under the existing circumstances the results were not satis- 
factory. The heart was seen to be gray-red and very poor in fat. 
Pneumonia was present, accompanied with enteritis. Mice inoculated 

(' Thef?e figures refer to bibliography at end of thin article. 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 33 

from these lunj»-s oave negative results. On this farm the disease 
spread among- the native goats to a serious extent. Tlie incubation 
period was about ten days. Sheep kept in the same pasture were not 
afi'eeted. The greater part of the imported goats sickened after their 
arrival, and, as they were all bought in the Simmenthal and were not 
unloaded en route, infection during transportation was impossible. 
The disease appeared simultaneously among most of the goats of this 
importation, and ([uickly spread to the natives with which they had 
been herded, causing great loss among the latter animals. 

The infected farms were quarantined until the diseased animals had 
either died or recovered, which required l)ut a few months, as the 
aiSection disappeared voluntarily during that time. 

Another outbreak of a very similar disease among goats was 
reported by Storch (l-t). 

The native goats of Schmalkalden are of large size, rugged, good 
producers of milk, and, until the importation of Saanen goats from 
Switzerland, they were ver}- healthy. 

Twenty Saanen goats were imported and placed among the native 
tiocks in ^lay, 1894. In July the disease had become so widely spread 
that the authorities sent Schutz and Storch to investigate. Storch 
states that the report of Pusch, 189-4, is the onl}' one in German liter- 
ature describing a disease w^hich resembles this in any way, while 
Hutcheon's pleuro-pneumonia of goats in South Africa may be the 
same thing, but he is unwilling to decide. 

Of 620 goats in Stein]>ach-IIallenl)urg 331 became affected, and 
many of these died, but no accurate statement of the number of 
deaths was o])tainal)le. In the acute form the goats refuse food, 
become dull and depressed, and lie down most of the time. Their 
breathing becomes labored and painful; pulse often reaches 1'20 to 
140 per minute; cough is always present. About one-half of these 
cases are fatal, man}' of the animals dying in convulsions and 
opisthotonos. 

In the chronic form, a cough is always present, frequently accom- 
panied by nasal discharge. The disease is lingering and persistent, 
but apparent!}' does not affect the appetite. 

Examination of the lungs showed collapsed areas in one or both 
anterior lobes. Mucous membranes of the bronchi were reddened, 
thickened, and covered b}' a slimy coating. Bacteriological examina- 
tion revealed the presence in the lungs of numerous oval to round 
bacteria, frequentl}- in pairs, but occasionally single, while the blood, 
spleen, and liver proved negative. White mice inoculated subcutane- 
ously with cultures showed a staring coat and dullness, but recovered. 
A rabbit two months old, inoculated with scrapings from a diseased 
lung, died atypically in three days. Hepatized areas had developed 



34 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

in its lungs, however, and the presence of the organism in these tis- 
sues was established. 

Healthy goats placed in isolated stalls in stables sheltering diseased 
animals became infected. 

Susceptibility appeared to increase with age, since 3'oung kids were 
not ati'ected. Mortality of the acute and chronic forms considered 
together reached about 25 per cent. 

Careful inquiry failed to give any trace of a similai' disease in the 
Simmenthal where these goats were purchased. Further importations 
of goats into the Kingdom of Saxony were prohibited at once as a 
result of this outbreak. 

Various experiments were made in the matter of treatment, but the 
best results were derived from the inhalation of creolin. 

Nicole and Retik Bey (10), of Constantinople, describe a pneumonia 
among the goats of the region adjacent to the Gulf of Ismid, it having 
been brought there b}' goats purchased in the interior of the country. 

The symptoms were first fever, then loss of appetite, cough and 
nasal discharge, disturbed l)reathing, and soon the animal began to 
lag behind the flock, appearing dull and languid. The disease lasts a 
long time and the animals l^ecome somewhat paralyzed four or live 
da3^s before death. The attack is not commonly accompanied by ente- 
ritis. Calves and sheep kept in the same flock were not aflected. 
Microscopic examination showed vod and gra}' hepatization, and the 
vessels filled with leucocytes. The pleura was thickened, and exuda- 
tion into the pleural cavity was moderately abundant. 

They have constantly isolated a cocco-bacillus from the lungs. It 
is sometimes alone and sometimes in association with the colon l)acillus 
or with BaeiJlux j)yoei/(n)>'}f.s. It was never found in the blood. It 
seems both bv its form and character to belong to the hemorrhagic 
septicemia group. The bacillus does not retain its stain when treated 
b}^ Gram's method. On liquid media it appears sometimes as a dip- 
lococcus, and again as a lance-shaped bacillus, resembling in its con- 
tour and size the pneumococcus of Talamon-Fraenkel. When the 
nutriment in the media is abundant, its form is round and there is a 
decided tendenc,v to form chains. Mice were most susceptible to this 
germ. A very small quantity of culture injected subcutaneously 
caused death in ten to twelve hours from septicemia. Two cubic 
centimeters subcutaneously kills ral))nts in eight days, forming* ab- 
scesses ill the lungs. A test goat died in four weeks, emaciated, and 
with limbs paralyzed during the last few days of life. Cocco-bacilli 
were recovered from all visceral organs. Another goat recovered. A 
third goat showed diarrhea and fever the day after being inoculated 
and then recovered. It was subsequently reinoculated with fluid 
from a hepatized lung and died in one month. All goats tested in the 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OE GOATS. 35 

laboratory jn-oved very resistant. Calves and dog's were inoculated 
with 5 e. e. of a pure culture without results. 

The men who were tirst interested in introducing well-bred Angora, 
Thibet, and Cashmere goats into this country encountered some thor- 
oughly discouraging experiences, which were very probably due in a 
measure to the ravages of the disease under consideration. As early 
as the year 1854 a prospective purchaser of Thibet goats living in the 
State of Georgia was warned ])y a naturalist of note against complet- 
ing his purchase for the reason that these goats, "'like the llamas of 
the Andes, coidd not be successfully acclimated in a locality under 
10,000 feet above the ocean." The purchase was consunnnated in 
spite of the friendly warning of the naturalist, and the linal owner (2), 
in recounting his experiences later, wrote: '"His opinion proved to be 
correct, as all of the Thibet goats, pure and grades, in my flock died 
in a few years after I had purchased them, from a disease of their 
lungs combined with dysentery." 

A writer (1) in the Country Gentleman of February 4, 1875, also 
reports serious losses in a flock placed in his care on a farm at Rapi- 
dan. Va. Although he records no specitic symptoms, the following 
quotations have great interest to all who are making a study of takosis: 

III the early cold weather the goats began to sicken. I had the sick ones removed 
to other quarters, and wrote for remedies to Mr. E. I studied Randall also, but 
nothing cured them. They died, ami more were taken sick. I sent for ^Ir. E., the 
owner of the goats, and when he came he said the difficulty was cold and hunger, 
though they had more than a "little hay and fodder" besides additional meal, much 
more in proportion than my sheep, which at that time were running at large without 
shelter and doing well. * * * The next morning a fine young buck which had 
been apparently well the night before was brought out in a dying condition. Mr. E. 
examined it closely and said it was a decided case of liver disease, an infectious 
epidemic which Angora goats were subject to in their own country, and regarded as 
so fatal by the Turkish shepherds that they said of it, "There is no cure but Allah." 

Pegler (11) in the year 1885 described what he termed '"A disease 
peculiar to goats." It will be seen upon reading the following excerpt 
from his work that his description of the scourge that appeared among 
the members of his flock might, in most particulars, very well be 
applied to a flock aflFected with takosis. From the page describing 
symptoms were borrowed the following: 

The first thing that is noticed is a falling off of appetite, which may at tirst be 
slight, but soon gets worse until it is a difficult matter to get the animal to eat at all. 
The result, of course, is that it rapidly loses flesh and falls away to a skeleton. 
Sometimes, however, the appetite remains good, but the emaciation goes on just the 
same, though the process is slower. The breathing is sometimes labored and the 
breath nearly always very unpleasant. A cough is very often an accompaniment of 
the disease, leading one to suppose, with other symptoms, that the lungs w^ere affected, 
but this is seldom the case. The one prevailing feature which can never be over- 
looked is the general bloodlessness of the animal. This is shown by the pale color 
of the gums and inner surface of the lips, and also of the membranes lining the 
eyelids, which in health are of a bright red. 



36 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Before the disease is far a<lvanced diarrhea sets in, which begins with a slackness 
of the bowels. This soon gets worse, however, and, though it may be stopped for a 
time, it is almost sure to break out again, owing to the failure of the digestive organs 
from the impoverished condition of the animal. The diarrhea may last for several 
weeks, but as it advances it often takes the form of dysentery. The poor creature 
then becomes too weak to stand, and it generally dies uttering plaintive cries and 
moans. There are other symptoms which occasionally manifest themselves, such as 
swelling beneath the jaws and weakness al>out the limbs, the animal always stand- 
ing with its head down and ))ack arched, looking the picture of misery and dejection. 

Strange to say, in nearly all the postmortems whicli have been made and reported 
to me, there has been no organic disease. Internal parasites are sometimes discov- 
ered, but not in sufficient quantities to greatly affect the animal's health, much less 
cause its death, which in all cases is due to exhaustion. 

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 

A few years ago the flocks of Angora goats in this country were 
comparatively unimportant in number, and they were nearly all of 
them kept in southern latitudes, but during recent years the raising of 
these animals has received a remarkable impetus. New uses have been 
discovered for the fleece, they have been widely exploited as })rush 
eradicators, and their flesh has been more readily accepted as a food 
product, until at present they have reached an established, settled value 
in many of the larger live-stock markets. As a result of the wide- 
spread interest thus awakened in them, many stock raisers have made 
purchases of foundation stock with the intention of establishing there- 
with a profitable flock. Others have made larger purchases at the 
start, being unwilling to wait for the slow natural increase in numbers 
of their animals. By means of numerous transactions the animals 
have been placed in widely distributed northern localities to which 
they were formerly strangers, but the serious losses caused to these 
investors by outbreaks of takosis served as a check to many prospective 
purchasers, and the Angora goat industry was, in consequence, sub- 
jected to a discouraging setback, and has not expanded to the propor- 
tions which it would otherwise have reached. 

Now that the cause of the trouble has l^een determined, one may be 
warranted in claiming that the disastrous eflfects of all outbreaks up to 
the present time may in the future be avoided in large measure. The 
owner of the flock of goats will now see the importance of deciding 
upon the nature of the ailment aft'ecting them just as soon as any 
general disease is noticed; and Avhen takosis has appeared and l)een 
identifled, if he will at once apply the precautionary measures and the 
course of treatment to ))e recommended later in this work, he should 
avoid many of the discouraging experiences of his predecessors. 

As has already l)een stated in this article, the most serious losses that 
have come to our notice have occurred among goats that were removed 
from southern localities to new regions far to northward, and that had 
not become fully acclimated in their new surroundings. In many 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 37 

instances the trouble has appeared very soon after the arrival of the 
animals at their destination, even before they have recovered full}' 
from the serious strain incident to the long journey by rail. 

There is always a value to be derived from the contirmatory state- 
ments of man}' witnesses. Various observers are sure to offer a 
variety of observations upon any subject in which they ma}- have a 
common interest, and for the purpose of presenting* to the reader as 
generalized a knowledge as possible of the effects of takosis upon a 
flock of goats, and also for showing how diversified is the territory- in 
which the ravages of the disease are l)eing felt, it has been deemed 
advisible to present the following extracts received ])v this Bureau 
with reference to the disease. 

From Knapp, Wis., the following was received: 

I have in my charge about five hundred goats, and they have been dying from 
what I called stomach worms; but of late I have come to the conclusion that some- 
thing else is the matter with them. They lose their appetite, grow thin in flesh, 
cough and get weak, and then lie down and die. Some linger along two or three 
months. There is from one to five in the flock that show the symptoms all the time, 
and from one to two die per week. They first cough, ihen lag behind the flock at 
night when coming to the barn. Then there is lack of appetite, they grow poor and 
weak and look gaunt all the time as though they have been starved 

A letter of inquiry from Pittsburg, Pa., asks: 

Would some of you let me kno\\' what the proper feed is for goats through the 
winter when they have no pasture? I bought a few Angora goats and so did a few 
of my neighbors, and they are dying. The flock that we obtained them from was 
very poor; in fact, I never saw anything poorer to live than the goats were when we 
received them. I feed mine on corn and oat chop, half and half, and corn fodder, 
and cut some apple brush, but for all I would do my goats died with scours. 

A writer from Langhorne, Pa., sends the following record of his 
observations: 

To Ifjok at our goats in the yard you would say they looked fine, and you could 
hardly pick out one that you might think was not quite up to the average, yet to-mor- 
row morning you would find four or five down on their sides or otherwise. If picked 
up they might move off slowly and eat a little, but the next morning they would be 
down again. The animals will not get up or stay up, but will linger in this manner 
for some days, smelling badly and ])leating occasionally or groaning, with head bent 
around on side or under them, and finally die. Sometimes, as a result of l3'ing so 
long, they get apparently choleraic discharges from the bowels, which is offensive, 
but this does not show at first, and is not the primal cause. 

Tioga Count}', Pa. , has for several years had a flock of Angora goats, 
representing among its members some excellent specimens of the breed. 
The owner of this flock, in describing the course of takosis, writes: 

None of the diseased goats recovered. It took a long time for many of them to 
die. They tried very hard to live, and some of them succeeded in living for weeks, 
only getting weaker and weaker and finally just fading away. Some had diarrhea 
but manv did not. 



38 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTKY. 

In making a report of postmortem tindings. a correspondent from 
Iowa mentions one of the cliaracteristie symptoms of takosis as follows: 

The amount of bile is from one-foiirtli to three-fourths of a pint in each goat. A 
healthy goat only has, as I find, about a tablespoonful. This goat has been ailing 
for two weeks, but only refused to eat for two days. I liave lost one-third of my 
flock and have not been able to save even one goat that has become sick. 

A breeder in western Illinois states that he has lost one hundred out 
of a flock of four hundred, and that two of his neighbors have sufl'ered. 
proportionate losses. These goats w-ere all well sheltered. He con- 
siders the disease some sort of cholera, reasoning from the fact that 
the animals were all aflected with diarrhea. 

The following extracts, from a letter received just as this paper was 
ready for the press, from the owner of a large flock of Angora goats 
in Michigan, confirm several of the statements made in the introduc- 
tion of this article: 

We personally suffered a loss last winter in animals that we had brought from 
Texas in November, 1901, from this disease, and thus learned of the trouble. * * * 

We gathered together a herd of all grades of goats for the pm-pose of studying 
them and finally arrived at the conclusion that, so far as the Angora goat is con- 
cerned, the animal most susceptible to the disease, was the result of careless breed- 
ing, or to be more exact, too much inbreeding, thus lowering its vitality and leaving 
it open to the attack. * * * 

The care, feed, and shelter of the various grades of animals we have had was all 
alike, and it resulted, as stated, in the survival of the carefully bred, free from 
inbreeding Angora goat. 

Other reports of like nature have been received from goat owners 
in Oregon, Missouri, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Maryland, all 
describing the affection as an incurable weakening and wasting 
awa}', usually accompanied by uncontrollable diarrhea and occasion- 
ally cough. The death rate has been very high In the flocks from 
which reports have been obtained and ranges from 30 to So per cent. 

Another feature of takosis, which is of great economic importance 
to the breeder of goats, is experienced in the unavoidable tendenc}^ to 
abortion which is manifested l)y all pregnant females that are affected 
with the disease. Females of the sheep and goat families will never 
reproduce in a prolific manner if in a Avasted, emaciated condition 
during the breeding season. Many of them will fail to come in heat, 
and others, although passing through the period of estrum normally, 
will fail to conceive. Takosis is essentially a wasting disease, and one 
of the marked results of its attack upon a flock of breeding goats is 
seen in the shrunken kid crop of the following season. 

It is rai'e indeed for a pregnant doe to complete her term of gesta- 
tion if attacked during this period by takosis. Abortion follows 
almost invariably. As might naturall}' be expected, the accident of 
abortion under these circumstances always ends fatally, as the animal 
is unable, in her already weakened condition, to withstand the shock 




TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 39 

incident to delivery. Many times the fetus dies in utero, and thus 
becoming- a foreign body to the matei'nal organism, it ])ut hastens the 
eventual collapse of the doe. In holding autopsies on the bodies of 
affected pregnant does, it has been occasionally noted that the death 
of the fetus preceded that of the mother bv a few days, and the fetal 
decomposition present has indicated that it played a prominent part 
in causing the death of the adult. 

One flock has been brought to our notice which contained about 
1,600 does at the commencement of the breeding season in the fall of 
1901. They were seriously affected with takosis at this time, and in 
consequence there were but seventeen living kids produced in the fol- 
lowing spring. 

Another instance is reported where the total increase of a flock of 
over 1,000 does for the year was limited to eleven living kids. 

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS. 

PABASITISM. 

The condition which will most frequently be mistaken for takosis 
in goats is parasitism. In common with sheep, goats serve as hosts 
for a formidable array of animal parasites, and the loss directly or 
indirectly due to parasitic invasions must annually serve as a serious 
tax upon the goat raisers of the countr3\ 

The effects of internal parasites upon the goats are veiy similar in 
many of their outward manifestations to the s\'mptoms of takosis. 
There is a persistent unthriftiness, although the appetite of the animal 
remains good. The fleece does not retain its proper luster. There 
ma}' be considerable snuffling of the nose, accompanied b}^ frequent 
coughing. The animal may become affected with diarrhea, more or 
less severe, and its accompanying weakness. The eyes lose their 
brilliance and gradually assume a dull sunken appearance. The for- 
mation of an edematous tumor beneath the jaws is frequently noticed 
during the later stages of a serious invasion. These, in a general wa\', 
are the sj'mptoms resulting from an attack by animal parasites, but 
it must be remembered that there are species of worms that find their 
natural habitat in some particular organ, and that, in consequence, 
it is impossible to give an accurate enumeration of the SA'mptoms that 
may be manifested in any given case under the general heading of 
parasitism. 

The symptoms produced by the local disturbance of the affected 
part will predominate, while others, frequently caused by parasitic 
invasion, will be entirely lacking. Careful postmortem examination 
will quickly disclose the presence of parasites. A differential diag- 
nosis previous to death of the animal may, however, be made b}' giv- 
ing due consideration to the various symptoms manifested by these 



40 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

diseases. First of all, the infectious nature of takosis, when com- 
pared Avith the enzootic course of a parasitic invasion, will justify one 
in making a definite diagnosis. In attacks of takosis, symptoms of 
pneumonia will be frequently noted, especially labored breathing- or 
rapid respiration. These symptoms are not diagnostic of parasitism. 
The edematous lump under the jaw, so frequently present in cases of 
parasitism, fails in takosis. The luster of the fleece is less affected in 
takosis, while diarrhea is more frequently noted. Continuous cough- 
ing and snufiiing, while diagnostic of the presence of lungworms, are 
not characteristic of takosis and are noted only occasionalh' in cases 
of this disease, unless there is a complication with some other affection. 



In goats this is ver}" rare, and when it does occur it is usually sec- 
ondary to som3 previously existing disease, such as chronic pneumonia, 
peritonitis, or to poor food and starvation. It does not assume an 
infectious nature, and may be differentiated from the anemic condition 
accompanying takosis by the absence of the specific organism on micro- 
scopic examination. 

WATERY CACHEXIA, OR HYDREMIA. 

This usually results from poor feeding, innutritions food, or pas- 
turing on low ground. The natural goat pasture is high dry land. 
The animal is weak, readily exhausted, breathes rapidlj^, and its heart 
palpitates. The mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth are 
pale and swollen. The edema which is present about the head, neck, 
and abdomen will serve to differentiate this disease from takosis. This 
edema of the head disappears when the animal lies down. Icterus may 
accompany the disease when the discoloration of the mucous membrane 
easily establishes the nature of the affection. A change of pasture 
and a more nutritious diet are accompanied by a return of health to 
the flock. 

CONTAGIOUS PNEUMONIA. 

There have been several instances recorded in which flocks of goats 
have been affected with a contagious pneumonia. 

Hutcheon (6) has met with this epidemic in South Africa; Steel (13) 
has seen it in East India; and it has also been brought to the attention 
of French (3 and 8) and Italian (9) veterinarians. 

Soon after the outbreak of this disease in the flock many of the 
animals will become affected with a cough. The temperature rapidly 
rises until occasionall}- as high as 107° F. is recorded. The appetite 
becomes disturbed or disappears altogether, and there is slight nasal 
discharge. The conjunctiva appears brownish or bronzed, the vesicular 
murmur of the lungs becomes modified, the pulse quickened, and the 



TAKOSIS, A COJfTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 41 

breathing- accelerated, labored, and painful. The affected animals 
always evince pain when pressure is applied between their ribs. 

The postmortem examination of these cases shows the lesions to be 
chiefly confined to the thoracic cavity. The visceral pleura is usually 
adherent to the thoracic walls. The diseased lung- is solidified and 
enlarged throughout one-half to three-fourths of its substance. It is 
covered with a firm elastic fibrinous membrane. 

Respecting the nature of the disease, Dr. Hutcheon writes: 

It was a specitic infectious form of pleuro-piieumonia, affecting goats only, cattle 
and sheep remaining free from infection, although constantly exposed to it. The 
disease \vas introduced into the Cajse Colony liy a shipment of Angora goats from 
Asia ]Minor, where the disease is represented as being indigenous. 

At the present time contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia has no 
existence among the flocks or herds of America. V)ut since the goats of 
other countries have been proved susceptible to an analogous disease, 
the above mention of its leading characteristics ma}' not be out of 
place. 

TREATMENT. 

PROPHYLAXIS. 

In the study of takosis four points have been brought prominently 
into view which may properly be grouped together when considering 
measures for the prevention of the disease. It has been shown that 
the most destructive outbreaks have occurred among the goats that 
just previously have been shipped from a southern localit}' to a more 
northern latitude, and this fact suggests the need of caution in the 
removal of animals in this direction. Sudden climatic changes should 
be avoided so far as possible, and when shipments of goats for breed- 
ing purposes are to be made which necessitate their transportation 
northward over considerable distances the changes should be made 
during the months of summer or late spring, and not in the fall or 
winter, when the contrast of temperature will be so much greater. 

Earlier writers have called attention to the fact that Angora goats 
do not take kindly to transportation from one climate to another. 
Hobson (4) states that the native proprietors of Angora flocks in Asia 
Minor unanimously assert that this goat can not be transported from 
the place where it was born to a neighboring village of a different 
altitude without suffering a deterioration, and although a))le to resist 
both heat and cold they can not withstand much humidity, either in 
their pastures or folds. 

The second precautionary measure is closel}' allied to the first, 
namely. Angora goats should be provided with stables that are thor- 
oughly dry, not alone in their ability to shed rain, but on account of 
being erected upon ground that has perfect natural drainage, and 
these should be accessible hj them at all times, as the effect of rains 



42 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

upon the genenil health and strength of these animals has been fre- 
quently proved to be ver}" disastrous. So great is their natural aver- 
sion to a wetting- that they Avill seldom get caught out in a shower if 
shelter is within their reach, but will leave their browsing and march 
under cover l)efore the downpour arrives. The reason for this is obvi- 
ous. Their Heece is wholly lacking in yolk; consequently it will not 
shed water in the least, and a fall of rain immediately soaks the animal 
clear to the skin. 

As a third measure of prevention ma}' he mentioned careful feed- 
ing. No animal is as well fortified against the attack of an infection 
when reduced by lack of nourishment as it is when in vigorous, thriving 
condition. Among th(^ predisposing causes of disease usually enu- 
merated by general pathologists will be found debility due to insufficient 
or unsuital)le food, and, although the reason for this ma}' not be estab- 
lished beyond the reach of argument, it is pretty generally conceded 
that the continued lack of proper nourishment establishes in the blood 
of an animal an abnormal degree of alkalinity which grants an increased 
susceptibility to the inroads of pathogenic organisms. 

Another preventive measure to be mentioned here is one that is 
applicable only after the disease has made its appearance in the flock. 
The segregation or isolation of all affected animals as soon as they 
evince any symptoms of the disease will be found a most valuable 
means of protection for those that remain unaffected, and a strict 
quarantine over all of the diseased members of the flock should be 
maintained so long as the disease remains upon the premises. 

In our previous experiments for the purpose of procuring an 
immunizing agent against this disease, the results were such as to 
warrant a practical application of the sterile flltrate previously 
described (p. 26) to several flocks of goats generously placed at our 
disposal. The fluid thus prepared has been injected into the skin 
over the shoulder of goats in doses of 3 c. c, with varying results. 
One flock, originally consisting of eighty-two animals, had been deci- 
mated bv takosis until it numbered but thirty-two. These animals 
received two inoculations ten days apart, and immediately after the 
last injection they were transported in wagons late in Novem])er to a 
point thirty-eight miles away. On account of the condition of the 
roads, the trip required about two days. During this time the goats 
were without food or drink and were not unloaded. Two of them died, 
one on its arrival at the farm and the other not till three days later, 
although it Avas scouring badly upon reaching its destination. The 
remainder of the band seem in a healthy condition and are the most 
sturdy of the flock of six hundred to which they have been added. 
At a later test of this flltrate, made in one of the Western States, upon 
a flock of goats, the eflect of treatment was most unsatisfactory. The 
goats were inoculated twice with the remedy with an interval of ten 



TAKOSIS, A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OF GOATS. 43 

days. Kecent letters from the owner state that there is no improve- 
ment in the condition of the flock, but that the fatalities continue to 
occur with the usual frequency. He has since been advised to make 
use of the medicinal treatment mentioned below. From another West- 
ern breeder a most flattering report has been received. He states that 
after the use of the prophylactic treatment the disease disappeared 
from the premises, and up to the time of wi-iting- all of the animals on 
the place had remained in a thriving" condition. 

THERAPKlTirs. 

Medicinal treatment has proved unsatisfactory in many of the cases 
of takosis to which it has been applied. Previous to the study of the 
disease the ti'eatment was directed against the pneumonia, and for a 
short time marked improvement followed; l)ut it was merely coinci- 
dental, as deaths occurred later with the usual regularity. Then intes- 
tinal disinfectants and astringents were suggested, but these did not 
prove efiicacious. The most pleasing results that have been derived 
from the use of drugs in our experiments at the laboratory have fol- 
lowed the administration of calomel giA'en alone in O.lo-gram doses 
twice daily for two days, to l^e followed by powders composed of 
arsenic, iron, and c[uinine, as follows: 

Grams. 

Arsenious- acid 1 . 40 

Iron, reduced 1 2. 00 

Quinine sulphate 6. 00 

Mix and make into twenty powders, giving one to each adult goat 
morning and evening at the conclusion of the administration of calomel. 
After an interval of two days, this treatment is repeated. In case the 
diarrhea persists, the sulphate of iron has been substituted for the 
reduced iron, with beneticial eflects. 

COXCLUSIOXS. 

As a result of the present preliminary investigation, the following- 
conclusions have been reached: 

1. The disease here described as takosis has appeared in many parts 
of this country, but particularly in the Northern States, where it has 
caused great loss to many breeders of Angora goats. 

2. It is a progressive, debilitative. contagious disease, characterized 
by great emaciation and weakness, with s3'mptoms of diarrhea and 
pneumonia, and causes a mortality of 100 per cent of those aflected 
and from 30 to 85 per cent of the whole flock. 

3. From the carcasses of numerous animals that have succumbed to 
this disease a new organism, Micrococcus caprlnus. has been recovered 
in purity and is presumably the etiological factor. 

4. This micrococcus possesses pathogenic properties for goats. 



44 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and white mice, but not for sheep, 
dogs, or rats. 

5. Although the disease has been described before (11), so far as 
could be ascertained no bacteriological investigations have been pre- 
viously made. 

6. Medicinal treatment was attempted with varying success, while 
the immunizing experiments thus far conducted (although too few to 
permit of any conclusive statement or accurate estimate as to their 
protective value), have shown highly encouraging results. When 
accompanied with measures of isolation and disinfection, the treatment 
may prove of great assistance in the suppression and eradication of 
the disease in an infected flock. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

1. The Country Gentleman, February 4, 1875. 

2. The Country Gentleman, April 27, 1876. 

3. DuQUESNOY. " Peripneumonie contagieuse de la chevre." Jour, de Med. Vet., 

XIII, 1888, p. 417. 

4. H0B8ON, Ernest. "Angora goat farming." AgriculturalJournal, Cape Colony, 

YII, 1894, p. 81. 

5. Holzendorff. "Lungen-Brustfellentzundung bei Ziegen." Archiv fiir Thier- 

heilk., XXII, 1896, p. 34.5. 

6. HuTCHEON, D. " Contagious pleuro-i^neumonia in Angora goats." The Veter- 

inary Journal, XIII, 1881, p. 171. 

7. HuTCHEON, D. "Contagious pleuro-pneuinonia in goats at Cape Colony, South 

Africa." The Veterinary Journal, XXIX, 1889, p. 399. 

8. Leclainche, E. "La pleuro-pneumonie epizootique des chevres." Kevue Vet- 

erinaire, LIV, 1897, p. 1. 

9. Mazzini, G. "Una epizozia nelle capre." Giorn. d. Reale Soe. Vet., 1897, p. 3. 

10. XicoLE ET Refik-Bey. "La pneumonie des chevres d'Anatolie." Ann. de 

I'Ins. Pasteur, X, 1896, p. 321. 

11. Pegler, Henry S. H. The Book of the Goat, 1885, p. 212. 

12. Puscn. " Eine ansteckende Pleuropneumonieder Ziegen." Deutsche thieriiztl. 

Wochenschrift., XLVIII, 1894, p. 403. 

13. Steele, John H. "Report on a fatal disease among goats in the district of 

Khandeish." The Veterinary Journal, XXIX, 1889, p. 153. 

14. Storch. " Die pleuro-pneumonie der Ziegen im SteinbacherGrunde." Berliner 

thieraztl. Wochenschrift., 1896, p. 567. 



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